South Africa has become obsessed with racism Racism is a problem, but ignoring our other many problems and crisis in order to obsess about transformation (rather than getting the damn job done) is suicidal for this country
Apartheid. You’d think South Africa had the copyright on that word. Korea is also a victim of Apartheid, in fact, it still is. The North/South split continues to be a source of inner pain and turmoil for South Korea’s 48 million people. And this figure is almost exactly equivalent to South Africa’s population.
The difference is that Korea is one tenth the size of South Africa, half the size of California in fact, and the world’s 13th largest economy (ahead of Australia). South Africa is in the mid to late 20’s, competing against the likes of Poland, and way behind the tiny Netherlands. Yet our country has the world’s largest gold, platinum and other vital resources.
It is interesting to observe that while Korean Apartheid may seem very different to the South African brand, in fact, it is not so different at all. The main difference between the North and South are economic. South Korea is one of the world’s wealthiest countries. The North is one of the world’s poorest. And while South Africans (black and white) like to blame each other, and play the race card, there are many other circumstances besides racism that bring about Apartheid. Racism is undoubtedly a very real and very destructive component in South Africa, but arguably, South Africa’s massive indigent population essentially splits the country into two, just as the Korea’s are split. North Korea has 20 million people; in a hypothetical unified Korea, they would comprise roughly a third of the total.
South Africa’s unemployed poor match this figure (of 30%); and depending on one’s definition of the poor, the figure could be closer to 40%. Those employed in informal trade are usually excluded from these equations, and the informal markets in South Africa are large.
South Africa has been very focused on addressing racism, and in this writer’s opinion, the focus has become an obsession, even an affliction. The recent hysteria around the Rugby World Cup demonstrates the degree of this affliction. Many black South Africans, probably the vast majority, will probably admit to not being interested in the game in the first place. Their game is soccer. The same is true for white South Africans and Premier League Soccer. Yet the hysteria around finding a black coach and black players is noteworthy, particularly when one sits in the stadiums that appear almost all white. In the soccer stadiums there are very few white faces. Does it make sense for white people to argue for a spot on the national soccer team (in the name of national representation) when they remain quite disinterested in the game? It is only in South Africa where this sort of madness is even thinkable. Rugby has a lot of money and prestige attached to it, and it is the love of money and power that fuels the Race Card Game, rather than the love of the game. The same is true for business in South Africa, and more particularly, government institutions. Corruption and hand greasing is the order of the day, because there is not an appreciation or interest for the work that needs to be done, merely for ill gotten gains that are up for grabs for an opportunistic Race Playa. The Commisser of Police in SA, Jackie Selebi, played himself all the way to Interpol, despite lacking the sort of clean record of honesty that most would require from a simple lieutenant working as a law enforcement officer.
Common sense has been lost as more and more previously disadvantaged Africans play the race card to get what they want. This is occurring across the spectrum, and in principle is fair, until the merits of individual cases are examined. If an African is under qualified and inexperienced, ought he or she be the preferred candidate compared to anyone else who is more qualified? The hubris around transformation, and white guilt, have ensured that a large amount of under-qualified people have assumed positions, and been unable to perform their jobs. The result: service breakdowns, corruption and a massive skills shortage as well qualified people seek greener pastures in our countries.
South Africa’s obstinacy and intransigence over Zimbabwe is illuminating. The country’s ambassador to the UN went to far as to resist and deplore bringing Zimbabwe up before the UN Security Council. A useful ploy to explain why Zimbabwe ought not to be addressed at the UN, would be to accuse the UK and USA of a racist agenda. In the end, racism can explain every action you don’t approve of, as long as there are enough people you can find who are not like you.
We should be looking at what we have in common*, but that presupposes that we mean to co-operate towards a common goal of good, rather than the pursuit of self enrichment at the expense of others, which, incidentally, is the fruit of racism.
From Sowetan.co.za:
Have you heard the one about the white minibus taxi driver?! Multimedia report by Louise McAuliffe
A stage production called ‘HOOT’ is on in Jozi at the moment: It is the colourful journey of a rich white man who loses everything, including his trophy wife, and ends up becoming a minibus taxi driver... Performer Matthew Ribnick brings to life a cast of over 20 characters in a cross-cultural comedy with split-second character changes.
He says the play is based on his personal experiences catching minibus taxis over a period of a dozen years.
More.
NVDL: I've watched HOOT and it is excellent. In particular it is illuminating, amusing and a touching glimpse into the lives of all South Africans. Watching this, and seeing one man go through our nation's persona, it is sad to realise to what extent fear keeps us apart and suspicious of one another.
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