Sandile Memela
Pretoria - As we come to the end of Mandela Month, let us remind ourselves that African people have made no laws that prevent, stop and prohibit coloureds, whites and Indians to help build and create a non-racial society.
So, self-appointed spokespersons of minorities must stop suggesting that it is Africans that have failed non-racialism.
The African struggle has delivered a world-class Constitution that has enshrined and protects non-racialism in an inherently racist and anti-African socio-economic situation.
Everyone has the right to become agents of the change they want to see. With Ubuntu, Africans have been accommodating of everyone, at their own expense.
Over the past few years, self-appointed spokespersons of minorities have raised their voices to charge that the ANC and/or African majority are not non-racial and as a result exhibit allegedly racist tendencies.
This sentiment was strongly expressed by some minority stalwarts of the liberation movement who felt there were racist and tribal tendencies in the ANC.
Of course, they are entitled to their opinion.
Pity that it was rarely challenged. Unexamined opinions soon grow fake legs.
I think people should trudge carefully before kicking the Africans in the teeth for alleged racist tendencies.
First, some of these minorities should speak for themselves.
When we look at their individual lives, we soon observe that they turned their backs on the, say coloured or Indian cocoon to become part of the non-racial world.
Thus the world they, personally, lived in is non-racial.
One is reminded of Thabo Mbeki speaking at the memorial of the late Jessie Duarte, for instance.
To appease Duarte’s ghost, he espoused the view of African racism toward minorities.
But this view is a blind distortion and deliberate betrayal of African people that amounts to racial blackmail using emotions.
For example, Africans always turn up in numbers when someone like Duarte or Essop Pahad passes on.
They saw them as comrades with no regard to their minority status.
Africans do not put up signs that say “No Coloureds/Whites/Indians” are allowed.
They tend to treat minorities like kings and queens out of respect.
But the minorities rarely attend African events – like celebrations of national days – because they have exclusionary tendencies.
They are not willing to intermingle with Africans and thus make the circle of non-racialism bigger.
Yet, when one looks at these minority spokespersons, it soon emerges that they are the sort of so-called coloured that chose to break out of the predictable coloured of better-than-Africans mentality.
This is a mentality where they still think they are superior to Africans.
In conclusion, it must be stated that self-appointed minority spokespersons are free to express their opinions.
They have chosen to stay in their cocoons to enjoy and preserve their privileges.
South Africa is a racist country where Africans continue to be excluded and subjected to humiliating experiences.
Racism is a daily experience for Africans.
Much as it is condoned, whites and other minorities are reluctant to join the African majority world to promote non-racialism.
They always move away and out as soon as “there are too many blacks”. This abnormality has become normal.
If you really check South African society, it is self-evident that coloureds, whites and Indians are comfortable in an environment where there are no Africans.
That is the world they know.
* Memela is a journalist, writer, cultural critic and civil servant. He writes in his personal capacity.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
Pretoria News