It is not enough for the ANC to take away people’s ability to earn a living, they want ALL whites to say sorry for something alot of them had no part in.

This is quite frankly disgusting considering the brutal acts commited by the ANC during the struggle.

When leading members of the government say sorry for the bombings and the burning alive of people accused of cooperation with the Apartheid regime then and only then could they ask the white community of a certain age to do the same.

I think you need to get the facts right if you’re going to make inflammtory statements. For all its flaws, one thing that was remarkeable about the TRC was the participation by members of the liberation struggle. I don’t have exact figures on me, but in terms of amnesty applications from perpetrators – around 2000 came from the liberation struggle side (ANC, PAC etc) while only around 200 security police and apartheid governers came forward. Those that didn’t have yet to be prosecuted. That hardly seems like a campaign against white people (who, after all, did run a regime that was declared a crime against humanity). The victims that testified waited 6 years for meagre reparations ans still suffer the consequences of their persecution. So where does the bias actually lie?

@SJ: you note – “Tony, spot on! White people are quite frankly sick and tired of being generally branded racist. For 14 years we have all being branded racist, with no substantiated evidence. Well, let me tell ask a question, are blacks going to apologize in the future for all black-against-white crime? I think not.”

Unfortunately you need a wake-up call. Yes, being a white South African means you are likely to have been branded a racist at some point in your life. But here’s what you’re missing – there is evidence of it; we are all racist because our entire system is still racist. As for crime, firstly in terms of violent crime (especially rape) the majority of it happens within rather than between racial groups. But, yes, we have a crime problem – how about we start dealing with the things that are creating that crime rather than merely ‘blaming the blacks’. A system that disposseses, dehumanises and represses people will result in violence.

@ Bryn: You say – “I am not apologising for anything. I was 16 in 1994, I was not responsible for apartheid. My parents were not responsible for apartheid. They were both United Party supporters and never voted for the Nats. My brother and I were raised to treat EVERYONE with respect and courtesy. You treat people with respect – no matter who they are, what colour their skin is.”

Again, I think you’re missing the point. As white South African it doesn’t matter what your/your parents political persuasions are (I could equally trot out the nice lefty, liberal politics of my parents – Black Sash yadda yadda). Just because we are able to intellectually and rationally understand and take on board principles of equality, respect and multi-racialism, does not mean that we have not participated (even passively) in racist systems. Acknowledging our involvement – the benefits we receive/d, the myriad of small things we do/say/think that we have stopped thinking are racist. This is simply another version of the “I can’t be racist, I have black friends…” line. I cannot believe that any white or black (or coloured or indian) South African does not carry with them experiences of racism (that they have observed, participated in or being subject of). Its only by engaging with those that we can create the kind of society we want – not by fobbing it off as being something not relevant because of our political persuasions, our age, or our lefty-liberal credentials.

THe comments here are exactly indicative of why we need a mechanism to acknowledge our personal involvement in racist systems. So much of what has been said above falls into the ‘I’m not racist but…’ category: I’m not racist, but the blacks must apologise for crime; I’m not racist, but I won’t acknowledge my part in the system; I’m not racist but the blacks unfairly discriminate against me as a white person. It is pervasive. And it’s not ok. And the only way we deal with it is to engage – to tackle how and why we think/feel/believe/do what we do.

Until I left against my parents wishes to go to a black school, where I was finally treated like a human being. Note, in 1997 the principal of my school told me I would be better off among ‘my own people.’Had I stayed on in the ‘integrated school’ whose brochures featured happy mixed race groups, I would never have achieved the level of confidence or success I did by leaving. So don’t assume that what you see on the surface is the true experience that non-white students of our generation have been through. Many of us have been directly and indirectly affected by racism and the effects of apartheid.

Jon, it matters not how much modernity colonialists brought to these shores, the fact of the matter is that this continent has a generation of limbless people amongst its populance, do you assert that those people should acknowledge Leopold because through all that they were modernised? (I’m almost certain that you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, don’t worry, ignorance is a common trait amongst racist bigots)
As for the comment that asking for an apology is a pre-cursor to wanting money? Do you even have money to give my kind Sir? Not all black people who are of the opinion that some whites should apologise want money from white people, actually through the hard work and resilience of those that came before us, some of us grew up better than a significant portion of white people, with more money than a lot of white people and as such, could care less about your money. Your hubris is almost indicative of those in-bred idiots who got us where we are. Are you in-bred Jon?

And the article: I think Sandile is right to an extent. An acknowledgement of the perks that came and continue to flow to white people as a result of apartheid would probably go a long way in expressing sincerety to those affected. Guys I’m certain that we all are aware that you didn’t need to work for the then government to benefit from its policies. When my grandfather built his businesses in the Eastern Cape, he had to partner with some white man; as some Law prohibited him from owning the type of businesses he wanted, because he was black obviously. Some jobs were the preserve of white people and as a consequence, the affluence that came with them was preserved for white people. Etc etc etc. Those benefits are still there today good people.

Solution: Intelligent engagement amongst us countrymen. Let’s honestly engage with our budding democracy because as soon as we stop talking, the in bred bigots win.

It’s great that the Australians finally feel some guilt and have owned up to what they’ve done to their own indigenous population. Perhaps we should all apologise to the Bushmen who were here long before Black, White, Coloured, Indian or Asian. They are our real indigenous people. And they’re the ones that got screwed the most, losing out not only to White colonisation but also to Black colonisation. I’m waiting for the first Bushman president.

Would one or more of you knowledgeable folk care to give it a try and explain it to a dumb person like me, who obviously doesn’t get it?

What you do not seem to understand is that any such apology is immediately used to discriminate against whites and to find more justification to institutionalize theft of white property, such as the 35 racist, discriminary acts, based on our “guilt”, that we are already subjected to. Bear in mind that none of the “crimes” upon which this legislation is based, has ever been proven in a court of law despite the insistence of the politically correct that a person is innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was to be the venue where we would all confess guilt, apologize and forgive the “sins of the past”. In practice it was turned into a venue for the prosecution of whites but was shut down as soon as it became the turn of the other race to confess.

What is wanted now by the powers that are, is justification to grab the property and the land of whites. Communism will probably be the vehicle of choice, sooner than you think. A few good public confession would do it hence the calls of some politicians “just to acknowledge, confess and apologize and everything will be all right.”

Yeah, right. Remember what we will be facing will not be Marxist communism but the African version, Zimbabwe probably being a good example. Think about it. Remember the old saying “people get the government that they deserve.”

As for the rest of your argument, it seems to be based on a point I have not made. Where did I write, or even imply, ‘I’m not racist but’?

“And I too encounter, daily, the soul-destroying prevalence of white people of all ages refusing to drop the age-old racist attitudes. But race is a national thing in this country. It is not just a white thing.”

And still there is that big but! The i am not racist but! Jeez.

Why didn’t you mentioned these stuff in your first comment? I am certain it’s this kind of thinking that Janet refers to when she says “(often under “I’m not racist, but…” phrase so common in our country).”

Cause that’s exactly how a bunch of you are. Don’t apologize, just aknowledge and aknowledge without the but! because once there is a but, it’s like saying I am not racist but, this black people and their corrupt government etc. Not all blacks support the current government, and apartheid hurt all black people, not just the fat cats in government. So just acknowledge that it did hurt them and it should be rectified.