I’ve been thinking recently about the British law which allows that government to deport foreigners it deems to be guilty of hate speech. It has been used to deport Islamist clerics it considers to be “preaching hatred” and also to refuse entry to a virulently anti-Muslim Dutch MP. The law has come in for a lot of criticism from all ends of the political spectrum, but it got me thinking about a problem closer to home: the Afrophobic Expat.
You know the type — they LOVE Africa and its wide-open spaces, its big skies and fantastic weather. But they’d love it just a bit more if there weren’t any actual Africans here to spoil it for them. They are the type that escape their mediocre existences in tiny, frozen or rain-sodden countries to come out here and lord it over the locals, developing a superiority complex to make up for the fact that they were nothing special back home. The type that enjoy a lifestyle here they could never afford in Europe, but who nonetheless never miss a chance to explain away every mishap by saying “That’s Africa — what do you expect?”
They are the types who get oh-so-worthy jobs in conflict-torn countries and then brag about their sexual conquests of starving 14-year-old girls and how they “pay” them with jars of mayonnaise. They see no irony in using this as an example of “lax African morals”. They liken Africa to a rotting carcass, but get angry when you point out that if that is true, they must surely be the vultures pecking at the remains.
These are people who can see nothing good or decent or worth celebrating about our continent. They are the people who make comments about us, in our own land that they would not be allowed to make in their home countries, the kind of hate-filled comments that would get them locked up in Europe.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I am all for freedom of speech, I am all for robust criticism and intelligent debate. I suppose what really sticks in my craw is the way they pronounce on issues from service delivery to sexual violence in tones that imply that no one else in the country has ever even thought about, never mind engaged with these concerns — as if our newspapers and blog sites and radio stations don’t debate these issues at great length every day, seeking out the views of activists, analysts and academics as well as ordinary citizens. (And yes, we KNOW our president can’t seem to wrap it up or zip it up: but guess what — neither could Bill Clinton or Silvio Berlusconi yet I don’t hear you damning the whole of America or Italy because they too elected horny old men).
What I cannot tolerate is the way they recycle fourth-hand anecdotes until they achieve the patina of “truth”, so vehement are they in telling fairy tales like the one about how “white people are not allowed to work in South Africa because of affirmative action”. And when you dare to contradict them, the reaction is hysterical and furious; the reaction of people who don’t want to let the facts get in the way of a good story.
I recently had the temerity to challenge one of those types who adopt the “Old Africa Hand” persona, while he was holding forth to some of his recently arrived countrymen. I pointed out that in nearly a decade of doing labour-dispute resolution I had never come across that fabled being: The White Man Fired From His Job So They Could Give It To a Black Man. I also pointed out that while I don’t agree with Jimmy Manyi on much, a cursory look at the appointments page of any newspaper or the list of directors’ remuneration will show that white men are still firmly on top in our workplaces.
I was immediately subjected to a racist diatribe in which I was accused of being “politically correct” and warned that one day I would wake up and find the whole continent had collapsed and it would be TOO LATE! I didn’t stick around to ask “too late for what”, as a wise woman does not argue with a fool.
What enrages me is that the Afrophobic Expat doesn’t raise these issues because they are interested in finding solutions, but because they want to buttress their racist belief that all Africans are mentally deficient children incapable of running their own affairs (and that we should never have been let off the colonial leash in the first place).
Of course, not all expats behave or think like this and I have worked with many wonderful people from all over the world who appreciate and value Africa, and want to help find solutions instead of simply being part of the problem. Unfortunately they are nowhere near being in the majority.
A friend of mine recently had a knock-down, drag-out fight on this very topic with a French expat who has spent most of his adult life working on this continent for a multilateral organisation and enjoying the concomitant lavish lifestyle. Did he retire to Paris or Provence? Did he heck! Nope — he will be spending his old age in a huge house in Houghton, with hot and cold running servants, from whence he will continue to pour Gallic scorn on Africa and all things African.
What I just can’t fathom is why — if they really find life in Africa so odious — they insist on staying here and spewing their bile at us? Par example I love France, I really do — all those darling patisseries, divine boulangeries and celestial chocolatiers. The thing is, though, I couldn’t live with the French whom I find (on the whole) to be arrogant and racist. So I don’t live there. Simple, really. But if I did choose to live there, I’d like to think I’d have more grace than to angrily lash out all the time at the French for, well … being French.
We have had Europeans coming here for hundreds of years and telling us how crap we are — and we’re tired of it! So maybe our government should spend less time blocking the asylum and immigration applications of our brothers and sisters from other parts of Africa and set their sights on those expats who wish we didn’t exist.
I love you very much. What an awesome post. LOVE IT! And I agree whole heartedly. I lived in London for a bit and had to fend off these constant attacks from other SA expats who did nothing but justify their existence there by bitching and whining. They need these Afrophobe legends to continue going to they can repeat them and justify their own existence.
Instead of whining about how bad Europeans make you feel, why not write on the good things about the African continent? Should we start with Sudan? Or the DRC? Perhaps we should write about the splendid democracy of Kenya?
I love your post. Sock it to them! I agree.
The reason some expats from a certain small frozen island are so vitriolic about Africa (have you heard them on India yet?), I think, is that they find it hard to admit the empire has fallen and the dear little island is now overrun by (talented) ex-colonised “natives” who managed to annex said island for the purposes of shopping and building up capital. My worst is the “tourist on safari”. They insist on wearing full kakis, hat, boots and walking stick…to visit Cape Town. Then they throw all caution to the wind and travel routes normal Cape Townians would think twice to take unescorted by security, and complain bitterly if they get mugged robbed, killed or any combination of the three. Would you wear a R20 000 diamond necklace on any city street never mind in Cape Town’s?
If one should be kind enough to say: “This is not really safe you know”, they give you the superior look: “hah, I am a salted traveller and can handle anything. You? you’re just a native. What do you know about life.” Sigh… next headline in the paper…
“So maybe our government should spend less time blocking the asylum and immigration applications of our brothers and sisters from other parts of Africa and set their sights on those expats who wish we didn’t exist.”
last time i checked the govt wasnt spending to much time on the above?
AMEN
You said:”So maybe our government should spend less time blocking the asylum and immigration applications of our brothers and sisters from other parts of Africa and set their sights on those expats who wish we didn’t exist.”
(1) I think you should research a few facts, Home Affairs are inundated with assylum seekers. The recent Xenophobic attacks were aimed at our brothers and sisters from within our own boarders.
(2) Check with Home Affairs & you’ll see that foreigners(the Afrophobes you refer to)are having a tough time getting work permits, expertise which I think we need here more than ever rather than turn away.
(3) next you’ll be saying Africa for Black Africans only, which means that you perpetuate the stereo-type and therefore deserve the crit we get from foreigners …
I enjoyed reading your article, more so your crisp and clear writing style…
The updated definition of racist:
RACIST: 1. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive term for a white person. 2: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities, if promoted by white people. 3: a belief that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race, if promoted by white people.
Ever wonder why nonwhites can promote every type of discrimination they want, even the extermination of whites, and are NOT called racist?
The afrophobes are right, of course.
That’s what so annoys the afrophiles.
Well, that was some post. I do agree with you though; if we ( foreigners) think unkind things, we should be polite enough to keep those thought to ourselves unless we can find a way to solve the problem, in exchange for living in the sunny climes, with broad horizons.
I haven’t actually met any white guys who sleep with 14 yr old girls and pay them with a jar of mayonnaise, but I am sorry if it happens.
I do like the wide horizons, and sunshine, but the servants….eish, I think the constant electricity of elsewhere works better for me.
any way, good points.
My word, I thought SAns’ bile was directed more towards those expats going out rather than the ones coming in. Your supporters are much more revealing – let’s hope this extends to hundreds of replies, shrilly!
And we south Africans sure know how to make other Africans feel welcome, chase them with a panaga, set them on fire, burn their shops down, marshal them into camps and put an armband on…
Oh come on… with the stench of black on black Xenophobia boiling in the background for the past 3 years – YOU CAN’T be SERIOUS ?!?!?!?!
Ja; all you Xenophobic Afrophobes GO HOME!!!!!
Meet my husband – he is one. But they called it “redundancy” or “outsourcing”
It does not get any blacks employment, but if you reduce your number of white staff, your black ratios go up automatically – and you use consultants instead. Using your ex white employee does not work (the staff get divided loyalties because they think the boss a s**t). So the boss uses another consultancy.
And of course you don’t meet them – they are not in the workplace any more to meet!
Thank God I don’t associate with people in your circle of friends !
Sounds like you spend your time at Victorian tea-parties !
I’m afraid you have used the same incorrect argument I hear again and again regarding Zuma’s sexual exploits. Yes…it does happen elsewhere. However, as you know with Bill Clinton, …he Stepped Down. It is called taking responsibility and admitting guilt…that doesnt happen here
This is a brilliant article and so soooooo true and sad. Even my own children who live in the U.K. do it in their ignorance and to justify the fact that they have “escaped” the country. If you don’t like the country that is your host get the hell out or shut up.
I agree, Europeans who could be living at home shouldn’t stay here and criticise. But please, not all white people are European, my family has been in Africa for 300 years so this is my country too, I wasn’t born here by choice any more than you were. And seeing and commenting on VERY alarming tendencies and actions by our beloved fat-cat government doesn’t make me a racist. It makes me a concerned citizen. But its easier to ignore me as a racist than address the many serious problems, like wholesale theft and corruption that has bloomed so nicely under JZ. Or crime or the state of our parastatals, which could provide so many more jobs and cost so much less and provide this country with so much more to be proud of. So yeah, call us afrophobes or whatever, but man up and have the courage to recognise and stand up to real problems, rather than adding wood to the “everyone but black people can be racist” fire. Your energy as South African would be far better spent that way.
Excellent article!
There are so many of us who are positive about our wonderful country. Its only the bottom 10-20% that have nothing better to do than to moan and complain! They would complain no matter which country they lived in!
Nice well balanced post.
The first half of your post here seems a bit narrow-minded. You seem hell bent on attacking people based on your personal experience, and classifying whole groups into single stereotypes, all the while becoming a stereotype yourself. This I think is wrong. However, your post does a fabulous 180 half way and I applaud the end of it.
we’ve learnt their ways, their language and their everything, but in more than 200 years they’ve not even come close to understanding why we do what we do the way we do it, instead, they preffer to belittle and insult us for who we’re. They’ve been here for centuries yet they refuse to accept us on our own continent.
Deport the lot of them! Put them on any vessel that will carry them and let the “abelwandle” go back to where they came from.
I think the real problem is that we don’t have enough olde English pubs on street corners to help the anglophiles drown their homesickness without drinking and driving. Instead, they feel the need to act intelligent, which never suits all of the people from any country, all of the time.
@Leon van Greunen
Can you actually READ? or do you choose to misundertand on purpose?
She is clear she is not agaisnt foreigners and doesnt consider them ALL to be afrophobes – just those who hate Africans!
if you hated Muslims you wouldnt last long in Saudi, so why are Africans supposed to be so tolerant of racist white supremacists?
secondly – YOU need to check your facts. Home Affairs may be inundated but the point is they have a terrible record when it comes to PROCESSING these applciations (ask the human rights commission or Laywers for Human Rights).
There are many exclellent Zimbabwean doctors and engineers whose expertise we need (or dont they count for you?) but they end up as waiters or living in the Methodist Church because they cant get work permits.
and your comment about “black africans only” is a projection of YOUR insecurity – i didnt read anythign about it in the blog. Or is it just that she is factually challenging your comfort zone of being a vicitmised white man?
Africa belongs to all her children of all colours – but no one is forcing anyone to stay here. if you dont like African people and if you feel they are all doomed then LEAVE!
As one of those white South Africans who was declared unemployable in the state sector so that less qualified dark people could teach my English language instead i found some of your diatribe disingenuous… it was fun though and i hope you feel better now.And broadly speaking i agree with your sentiments oddly enough. You do understand of course that most whiteys who are cast aside know, deep down, that the labour dispute process was not intended for them.
People by their nature criticize. Look at the comments directed at Obama and Bush – “if it bleeds it leads.”
While I suppose it is theoretically possible for you to have not experienced “fire white, hire black”, it certainly does happen. Happened to my father and several of their colleagues. Arguing that a stated government policy of Affirmative Action does not exist seems primed to create division and argument.
I agree with you that people wallow and often rejoice at the failures of the state organs, mostly because it is vindication or revenge – neither of which is profitable. That does however not negate the fact that these things exist for them to wallow in. Their concerns, while voiced with poorly disguised glee, is legitimate. And while dismissing the afrophobes is understandable, ignoring their concerns is inexcusable.
Oh Stop whinging. In case you do not know, not all whites qualify for the top exec. jobs even fewer African do. Your narrow vision stops you from acknowledging the reality that surrounds you.
Right now if you care to phone Wentworth Hospital Dbn, you will find a number of posts frozen until the right colour comes along. This despite the fact that there are retired people who would fill those posts on a short term contract basis.
Apply your mind to that and then say that whites have free job options. Then ask yourself how a government can put political expedience before the sick and aged.
The try learning by attending the many government sponsored forums from Electricity to Water and see the political BS we are fed everyday.
Where for instance it is openly admitted that there are very few fully trained water managers. Where government enforce the NON employment of qualified whites in these fields just to satisfy the political employment strategy.
In the meantime we drink water that in some instances takes up to three days for Ecoli to be found in supposed clean water. Where granulated swimming pool chlorine is used to purify water because someone forgot to order the correct product or the chlorinator broke down and no one knows how to fix it.
Come on guys, the man defined quite clearly the types he considers afrophobes!
Most African experts working in Africa have surely come across atleast one expat afrophobe! I for one know exactly what “The Big Girl” is talking about.
These afrophobes sometimes even get to be the boss of a more qualified African just based on them being white and from some damned-weathered country!
La Chica Grande, well said and we hear you… My wife normally says that “if you aint got nothing good to say (good including positive criticism) the shut-up (ship out in this case)”
@Lucien Mwamba – That is true for many “theys” but the fault does not just lie on “their” side. Have you tried to explain who you are? Sure, the last government and a certain type of colonial did not want to know and couldn’t care less but it is not the case anymore they went back to the home country which leaves us, the “other South Africans” Not SAns, please. Sans means without.
The popularity of the film Shaka Zulu should have indicated to Africa that the situation had changed. Please teach those of a different culture when they ask about your ways. A lot of the knowledge is considered secret, how are we supposed to understand if we do not know?
One good thing that has happened in the last month is that all of us to a certain extent have learned so much about polyandry, Zulu culture, lobola and woman’s rights or lack thereof. One fear what one do not know. Racism is fear, plain and simple.
‘What I just can’t fathom is why — if they really find life in Africa so odious — they insist on staying here and spewing their bile at us?’ This sums up the nub of the column and never a truer word – you only have to glance through the comments pages of the M&G (and worse still, the Sunday Times) to get a glimpse into the unsightly, contorted, racist, arrogant and self deluded minds of the ‘Afrophobe expats’. I have always wondered why people who hate Africans live in Africa. And there are many of them. Why do they not go to the places they imagine work better, run more efficiently and are less corrupt – but where, after all, they may have to forgo servants, sunshine and superiority. In their own world view it would surely not be hard for them to find homes elsewhere – after all they are so clever and insightful, so skilled and hard working – who wouldn’t want them? If the column had targeted people based on country of origin or race I would have had a different view. It didn’t – it targeted pompous bigots. It defined people by the opinions and prejudices they express publicly, abusing the rights and freedoms conferred on them by the very people they loathe. They need exposing, especially in the online forums of national newspapers. I, for one, would like to see such people, who hide behind monikers such as bokfan and donorfatigued, come out of their crumbling little closets.
Man, this made my friday and hopefully will be my highlight for the whole weekend. I really wish there were more of these. Seriously.
It’s about time someone tell these people where to get off. I know I know I didn’t say much, but still I just had to say something.
Quite a cunning “thought” that extends the racist generalisation that whites hate blacks. With a few meaningless disclaimers, exclusions and different language and using half truths and downright lies. But its the same stuff peddled by Malema and Mbeki as a smokescreen for theftocracy, looting, incompetence and corruption. I’m guessing I speak a South African “black” language better than plenty of black South AFricans, I really like the average South African regardless of colour. I dislike the useless racist cronies (of all colours), the criminals that kill our people (of all colours) and the useless politicains and governemnt officials that let them do it with impunity. Does that make me an Afrophobe? If it does, I’m proud to be one and it doesn’t bother me a bit. In Africa you cannot be bothered by garbage, but you must factor it in.
Its fascinating how people like Heldgaard and Sid automatically assume she is taking aim at white South Afrricans!
Why the overreaction when it was aimed at a particular type of European expat? (And why do we assume we know the writer’s race? Can certain views only be held by certain skin tones?)
Does it mean we Proudly South Africans turn a blind eye to abuse and corruption or sexual misdemeanours? No!
It means that we debate them as we are doing all over this site, but that our departure point is not that these things are
inevitable because “they are Africans so you can’t expect anyhting else”.
Its refusing to internalise oppression and the view of us as the ‘dark continent’ in which nothing good ever happens.
If we believe that, why get out of bed? Why don’t we all just kill ourselves and be done with it?
@Lyndall – do you think black people haven’t been retrenched or outsourced? Do you know how many black graduates are unemployed? Check the unemployment stats, they tell the true story.
Why can’t we admit we are ALL having a hard time instaed of resorting to binary divisions?
PS:
@Sid ” what is “a black language”? Would you use the term “white language” to encompass German, Swedish, Italian, Duutch etc? I doubt it!
(Hmmm…I think French is a blue language, Spanish is red…)
And you presume the claim to speak people”s home languages better than they do? On what basis? Show us the research. And even if that were true, so what?
Or would you like a medal for learning to speak the language of the country you live in?
Lyndall:
You say Bill Clinton stepped down? When was that and how did I miss it?
In fact he survived an impeachment attempt even though he lied (“I did not have sexual relations with that woman” Ring a bell?)
And Berlusconi is still living large and seducing teenagers…
Both behaved horribly, two wrongs don’t make a right and I can’t stand Zuma either but don’t pretend this shit only happens in Africa
Just about the only country in the world where politicians resign regularly over scandals is the UK – the rest of them bluff it out or deny, deny, deny.
People stay in all sorts of awful places — on remote deep-sea oil rigs, on deep-sea fishing boats tossed about in stormy seas, in the freezing Siberian tundra or the baking deserts of Arabia.
They do it because the money is good.
Even if the place is truly godawful and the people there are even worse.
The MONEY is good.
That’s why you stay.
mehlo
Most unemployed whatever their colour can’t get work at all. There was a higher level of employment AND standard of living FOR THE BLACK POOR under apartheid.
The ANC has NO INDUSTRIAL POLICY and has not had for 16 years!!
X-cepting
Shaka was a killer who wiped out whole tribes. John Dube’s tribe for instance.
Films like Shaka Zulu and Tsotsi give a totally false picture of Africa.
Any real tsotsi who found an abandoned baby would sell it to the witchdoctor for muti and pocket the cash.
Spot on, chica grande!
I fully appreciate your criticism of afrophobic girl-lover male expat – I am one of them, only a slightly different type : i) I don’t criticise African politics that much, not even Mugabe ii) I love African people – I rather spend weekend in a township than in Kruger park; iii) my ideal is women in their thirties, with the right curves and financially independent.
But still you are right: we, coming from old Europe live in Africa lifes much beyond what was in stock for us back home, for all sorts of reasons, weather included. It is like the West has managed to turn its own achievement in terms of ways of life and reasonably fair wealth redistribution (but this is changing…) into a boring state where one can’t make a move out of the fold and uniformity reigns supreme. And, irony of ironies, this is what most expat are supposedly in Africa to promote… As long as the West remains the model, that will last. In this light Zuma’s efforts to free himself of western norms of behaviour and bring back African cultural practices are quite unjustly decried.
When you think of it though, and we all know it, it all boils down to unequal power relation.
Lastly allow me to correct a point: retirement. South America beats Africa by far in terms of offering.
In Africa forever
Lyndall….grow up, smell the coffee …*ha*…yr post project such a putrid demeanour *damn*…why sooo much hate and anger…SA white supreme intelligence and beauty are like Santa Claus of the North Pole, with a white beard delivering Hollywood’s heart wishes to all the `”good boys and girls” across the world on christmas eve with his Rudolph “the rednose” and the other reindeer…I’m soooo sorry Lyndall…really sorry none of these myths exist…be happy.dive into a c old pond, naked!
…keep well…
Ah mehlo (here’s looking at you), dancing on the head of a pin are we. So you reckon we have black Afrophobes? My comment about language is made as I often speak to people I meet (work & otherwise), pedestrians, workers on site, government officials etc etc who are of a darker hue (and quite a few not from Africa I reckon). I sort of assume they speak a “black language” (one of SA’s 9) but as you say I could be totally wrong. A good number of them haven’t a clue what I’m saying (and I speak the language spoken by the majority of South Africans). The locals (now seriously you have to belive me) have quit a phobia about them, taking jobs etc. So I reckon the writer (don’t care about their colour) is aiming at paleskinned people; after all they are the easiest targets. Pity the effort wasn’t directed at improving the lot of Africa’s people instead of, in my view, trying to deflect attention from the rotten head (particularly the eyes).
A good friend of mine sounds often like the “afrophobe” you describe. Problem is that he cannot go “back” to Europe cause he and his father and his grandfather were born here. He does not come from there!!!! But….he sees some of the damage to infrastructures from very close and gets upset as he experiences it as destruction and going backward. He experiences rampant crime as a threat to going forward for him and his off-spring.
The three children (and grandchildren) of my wife have taken to your advice and have all left for Europe and for good reasons as you so eloquently stated. Safety and future for their children as prime reason.
What do you think that does for the remaining mother who has her life dedicated to the forgotten group of disabled children of all colours and races??
I can hear that you are angry but please next time think before you spit your venom in multiple directions. Your feeble exclusions at the end seem just done to soften the responses.
As one response said, you might have socialised too long with the wrong crowd.
Perhaps you should ask ‘Too late for what’ Miss wisey pants. Maybe you too can still learn things even though you may think you know so much.
@lydanll Beddy: “There was a higher level of employment AND standard of living FOR THE BLACK POOR under apartheid.” – If you are talking about a full belly, I know quite a few Africans who would agree with you. But, how can you forget the rest? The indignity/insults, the lack of freedom of choice? Knowing history (one-sided) evidently is not the same as understanding history or better still, having been there.
“Shaka was a killer…”From historical accounts (as far as they are true) I quite agree with you. He was also supposedly a killer who united the Zulu nation into a force to be reconed with (supposedly). The movie was not that true to history, agreed (what historical accounts is?). Not the issue here. The point, in this instance, was not Shaka the man, but how Shaka the movie indicated that popular European viewpoint had changed from not wanting to know anything about Africans, except how to use them, to actually enjoying learning about African culture.
Sentiments like “Any real tsotsi who found an abandoned baby…” is not only a generalisation of the worst kind but seem to indicate that you speak from a self-imposed moral high ground. You know what happens to those who get onto pedestals?
You seem, from other comments you’ve made, to read something quite different into what I meant. My apologies for being unclear and writing simplistically. I try not to bore or write above the heads of the majority.
Most of the people who’re arguing against the writer must try and see this from are point of view, I know it’s difficult but not impossible. She doesn’t seem to have a problem with all Europeans but with those who’re afro-phobic! If you’re not afro-phobic, then don’t defend the aphrobes, but if you’re one of them, we don’t need you in Africa. When you’re in rome you do as the roman’s do, in Africa must at least try to embrace the africans and their way of life!
I love the way people like Benzol are racialising this….. do you think black mothers dont care about the safety of their children? Do you know that young black men are most likely to be victims of violent crime. Why act like these things only affect YOU?
lots of talented creative young white south Africans are happily carving out a niche here and have no intention of leaving – maybe you are too old to adapt? try taking a lesson from the youth!
La Chica’s point was taht she was tired of people making it sound like Africans are inherently lazy, stupid, criminal and hopeless. the self justifying excuses here are very revealing (it seems they agree deep down, or they woudlnt feel so hurt)
White Africans are not automatically Afrophobes (and nor are black africans all Afrophiles)
An African is not defined by skin colour but by where their allegiances lie…they have a stake in this continent, dont have two passports or a handy escape hatch,and they WANT to make it work, they dont sit back and rub their hands gleefully when things go wrong.
and Sid, are you talkinng TO people or at them? why do you assume everyone in this polyglot land speaks one language? there is no such language as “african” or “black”.
although judging by your level of bitterness you are probably one of those who calls every black man “baba” and speaks Fanagalo!!!
@Mehlo: where did I mention any race? Other than when referring to the dedication of my wife to handicapped children “of all races”.
What tells you my race? her race? You seem just another one of those over sensitive little souls.
BTW, slowly on our ANC politicians are starting to criticise the few “lazy Africans” for what they are.
The rest of your comments is all about black, white and associated stereo types.
Please grow up and get a life in this wonderful country.
Live now and look to the future. You might see something you have never seen before!!
I think one needs to be careful in how people are labeled. One can live and critique the shortcomings of South Africa without being an Afrophobe or racist. There are many problems with South Africa and real issues that need to be sorted out. A far too general approach misconstrues valid critiques by placing them alongside racist cliches and diatribes.
Benzol stop being disingenuous – your very first line was about you “friend” who can’t go back to Europe
Atlas – at least you are honest. Money talks!
I trust Nicholas, Hugh and Lyndall will be eating their words after the Labour Court judgement on Renata Barnard’s right as a white woman to be promoted.
Seems the dispute resolution processes ARE for everyone!