Why is it that we tend to look at the components rather than the whole when assessing South Africa? Isolate the negatives and aggregate them into a false reality that, looking forward, will translate into a bleak future without any prospects of redemption.
Jacob Zuma’s meeting with the Jewish community was not only a success but also just the tonic that we needed. Of course there were those who found him boring and others who were not inspired by Msholozi’s views, but that does not detract from the fact that JZ, our president in waiting and, by extension, representing the ANC, showed by his visit that the community is regarded as being of value to South Africa.
This will mean much to the community, particularly in light of Jews from overseas expressing concerns at the plight of the locals and encouraging them to join them in their countries. In addition, South African Jews have had the benefit of seeing the ANC president and discussing the things that concern them.
I believe that JZ would do himself and the country a great service if he and other ANC leaders met as many communities as possible during this time of transition. It really does dispel a lot of uncertainty while building bridges for the future.
If you read reports on the meeting, it seems as if this bobba from Gallo Manor could have stayed home and played bridge, that yenta from Woodmead missed her personal trainer to hear this waffle, and of course Uncle Maven from Wendywood thought it wasn’t bad but he’s heard far better speakers in his time.
Point is that the chief rabbi and the community know that JZ made them feel special enough to warrant address and discussion.
My real concern relates to the Afrikaner community.
When the killings near Swartruggens first arose, I termed the attacks racist, because that is what they were, and I set out why it was necessary to see them as such. The same applies to what transpired at the University of the Free State — I let those geniuses have it with both barrels. Just scroll down the articles on my home page and you’ll understand that pulling punches is something of which I will never be accused.
There are many other incidents that relate to the Afrikaans community, just as there is a Forum of Black Journalists that expels whites, BEE and affirmative action, which are racist issues that relate to the black community.
These incidents are hardly surprising considering that we are a country barely 14 years out of apartheid. Lest we forget, such incidents affect all communities the world over. Maybe not to this degree in some cases, and less so in others, but every country has its problems. By way of example, we don’t have students blowing away their fellow students in the way that the US does, or putting rape videos on YouTube, and we don’t have people blowing themselves up on a regular basis.
Yet each time we see an incident relating to the Afrikaans community, it is set out in the overseas and local press as some sort of racist conspiracy from the entire group.
Leave aside the fact that all the leading Afrikaans groups slammed the UFS video as unacceptable behaviour and focus on the following:
Those are spontaneous reactions by huge crowds of which at least half are Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. Why is it that unfortunate incidents in isolation are taken as representative of the group while these gatherings, which clearly demonstrate positive outpourings of emotion, are largely ignored when assessing them as a group?
It’s tens of thousands going about their business without any signs of racism and bigotry as opposed to isolated incidents that occur in communities the world over.
Of course the Afrikaans community is going to feel pressurised and uncomfortable so soon after apartheid. There is no doubt that some will long for separatism or even federalism as a result of fears that, if truth be told, most South Africans are feeling right now — crime, as well as financial and political insecurity.
Yet if you read the guys who come on to Thought Leader, Afrikaans newspapers, the Blue Bulls website and AfriForum, then you’ll appreciate that in the overwhelming majority of cases they are expressing points that are of concern to them, without threats and in a logical manner.
Like all communities they are in transition and concerned about finding their rightful place in the new South Africa. Like all of us they do not appreciate those people whose conduct embarrasses their community.
It is time for the media to stop creating unnecessary hatred towards a wonderful community by playing the man, not the ball. Where there are incidents such as Swartruggens and the UFS, then have a go, and set out why the behaviour in question is a disgrace and why it needs attention.
But FFS, spare me the “Afrikaners are coming”-type garbage I’m reading at present. It is not only inappropriate but can only retard our drive towards transformation. Remember, for every aberration one community has committed there is in all likelihood a matching example from another out there. Generalisations will only cause resentment and detract from the point you are trying to make.
Let’s all try to deal with these incidents in isolation and treasure the whole — try to build a rainbow nation through the clouds that seem to colour our judgement.
Oh please Leon, spare me the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s comment. How corny. Now you’ve put me off my breakfast.
And to the Consulting engineer. Go and check your history boet. It all started going wrong for us when we white folks stood together.
That’s the biggest mistake Afrikaners ever made.
Afrikaners have two options – make as fully a contribution as possible in the current set up and hope it kind of works. (The jury is still out on this option).
Or organise a volkstaat that IS NOT BASED ON RACE and includes black and brown Afrikaners. That wat we also get to keep Habana
@ Wessel van Rensburg
Sorry about your breakfast boet (at 4 in the afternoon!), but “Africa isn’t for sissy’s” – as the saying goes.
Obviously you don’t get my point – ask someone to explain it to you.
Who are you blaming for our problems? The Afrikaner or the “Whites” – not exactly the same grouping, boet.
I find it interesting that ALL other groupings of people, like the chinese, germans, jews, etc., etc. can live amongst themselves with their own schools, etc. but the moment the Afrikaner wants to claim the same rights, he is blamed for his “laager mentality”.
Which fence are you sitting on?
Leon, I suggest you read both my posts again carefully.
And remember – ‘Mens blaas nie jou eie beul nie.’
PS: theres nothing like a late breakfast, I can can recommend it.
Wessel,
The problem is that the Afrikaner has been his own worst enemy.
Boere betrayed Boere during the ABO. Piet de Wet became a Hanskakie while his brother, Chrisjan de Wet fought to the bitter end.
Although the British used the turncoats, they made their peace with the Bittereinders.
No one trust a traitor.
It is significant that Zuma displays a positive attitude towards Afrikaners that remains true to themselves, not turning like Mbeki to the modern day Hanskakies.
As this post is in response to an article that dealt with Zuma’s visit to the Jewish community, I include the following snippet:
Most Jews fought on the British side (about 3500) during the ABO while about 350 fought on the Boer side.
Great patriots, those Boerejode!
A brilliant articule.
@Wanna Bet
Whites will not be standing alone, remember that colourds are only considered as “comrades” during election time, and most of them consider their situation today to be worse than it was during apartheid, colourds DO NOT COUNT as AA, they DO NOT QUALIFY you for BEE standings, as they are NOT considered as being Previously Dis-advantaged.
As for the army, they are a joke, remember that the old SADF was one of the most respected and feared fighting forces in the world, today they cannot even manage peace roles in Lesotho without lossing men, a place which 20 years ago would not have even lasted 2 days, and many of the whites where members of this fighting force, are where trained by it.
The GREAT ANC, has disbanned most of the top fighting regiments in the SADF and left their members out in the cold, whos side do you think they will take, the members of units like 31 Battalion (the bushman tracker unit), left to rot by the ANC,
32 Battalion (buffalo Unit) the MOST feared fighting force in the world, these men where the most fierce bunch of men you would ever want to meet, and often the enemy would run just from hearing that they were in the area or on the way, (the same enemy that today makes up most of your socalled great SANDF) where are they now? left to rot, disbanned, unable to get work (as most of them only knew one trade, WAR), their promised land has become nothing more than hell on earth. Must I remind you that these are BLACK men, do you think for one moment they will support the people that took away their dignity, their homes and their livlyhood?
So you see my dear fool, you and the ANC had better hope that things never do get to the stage where war becomes a reality, for the whites will NOT be standing alone, there are many who have even MORE reason to hate the ANC than even whites do.
I hope that that day never comes to our great land, it will be a sad day indeed, to see our nation ripped apart like that. As for will win who knows but who ever does what will they have left to rule over?
I have been a soldier and I have seen war’s true face, its not something to hope for or to want, its a sad thing and something I wish to never see again.
@ White
I am Coloured and I don’t think I was better off during Apartheid. You certainly do not speak for me or any Coloured person I know. Stop lumping us all together and assuming you know how we all think. I am so sick and tired of people who make blithe assumptions about Coloureds when they know sweet fanny f**k-all.
@White
I just want to add the state of operational readiness of the Ratels and Buffels is a far cry from back then.
61 Mech is also disbanded.
The state of morale is abysmal with near open mutiny, which makes officers afraid to take action against disciplinary offences.
The Aids infection rate is appalling, and to be condemned to 1 Military Hospital? Good God.
But at least the peacekeepers have been keeping the rape rate high. Imagine peacekeepers being charged with rape.
One former Battalion Group of the old SADF would go through the present SANDF like a hot knife through butter.
Consulting Engineer
Eish you’re trying so hard to put things
in perspective but to me the majority has
already made up their minds so I am still trying
to figure out why there should be a Volkstaat
because the term ‘Volk’ has not been defined
so it could be the ‘volk’ that worked on racists
owned farms,it could be the common people.
I am getting confused here man, in my younger
days I did volkspele (folk-games) cant imagine
my Indian neighbour doing that.
I shouldn’t stray here man but ‘volkspele’ was
a strictly controlled affair, all neat and tidy
at arms length.
Now Wessel van Rensburg wants a Volkstaat for
all Afrikaans speaking people.Do you think they
will be able to do volkspele??
Afrikaners should be ashamed about allot of things, amonsgt these things are the way they treated coloureds. Many coloureds would not want to associate with white Afrikaners, and I can’t blame them.
However a strange phenomena is happening in places like London. English white South Africa are moving into the surrounds of Wibledon. And miles away in the East of the City in working class areas like Leytonestone, who do you find? Coloureds and Afrikaners. They don’t mix much mind you, have not seen much evidence of that, but it seems they like to live together. And they watch rugby together.
Cool down, yes I think one should allow volkspele in a Volkstaat (its hard I know, but one has to be accommodating to all types), under the condition that there’s none of the controlling, and the bpm must be in excess of 100.
@ Odette
Go to Mitchells plain one day and walk around there and speak to the colourds, then go to Delft and do the same, then go over to Mannenburg, and after you have been there tell me the colourds are happy, and satisfied, I HAVE done this, I have many colourd friends and still have to meet one who thinks the new SA is great, or who likes the ANC.
If the colourd are so happy and dislike whites so much (as you implied) that they make up the majourity of Helen Zille’s supporters? Its time for you to move out of your world of luxury and mingle with your people, and I garentee you that you will soon find out that your views are way off the mark, I know because I work, and socialise with them every day.
@ White
So you’re using the “some of my best friends are Coloured” defence. Interesting.
I’m still recovering from my laughter at your assumption that I live a life of privilege and luxury. I wish I did! My goodness, you should see my bank balance and how I live and you would know that luxury is just a word in my vocabulary and not a way of life.
I grew up in Steenberg (not exactly in the lap of luxury) in a small council house with no running hot water. We counted ourselves lucky that we had an inside toilet. I also have family and friends in Mitchell’s Plain and in other areas on the Cape Flats – would you like a list? I think I have a fair idea of the situation that many Coloureds find themselves in.
You assumed that I implied Coloureds disliked White people. I never said that anywhere. I don’t dislike White people. I have White friends and colleagues too and I like them very much (just using your example). Most Coloured people I know don’t dislike White people either though many of them disapprove of some of the behaviour of White people. I doubt your many Coloured friends and colleagues would tell you much about that because Coloured people tend to keep their thoughts on White people amongst their own, at least in my experience they do.
But for now I can rest easy in the knowledge that Coloured people have such a dedicated spokesperson in you. Add Cool Down as our second representative and we really have nothing to worry about any more.
@Odette
Don’t forget all the white liberals who consider themselves spokespersons for all non-whites every time THEY feel non-whites may in some way be offended.
With all their jumping up and down in indignation, I wonder how a Black or Coloured can ever get a word in. The self flagellation of these liberal whites and guilt about their own whiteness leads to bizarre behaviour, which they take out on other whites. I wonder if they remove all the mirrors from their house?
If MANY Coloureds disapprove of the behaviour of White people, many Whites disapprove of SOME of the behaviour of SOME Coloured people, which to me would mean gangs, drinking to excess etc. But in general, I find that Coloureds and Whites get along, from the army to sport to children’s activities, these 2 groups in general have the least cultural differences. Social class however also plays a role.
Although this may be a gross generalisation, I do find a very significant difference between Cape Coloureds and those in the eastern Cape and Transvaal, no offence intended, its just my view based on my experiences.