I read the post of Sandile Memela “Mamelang ancestral whisperings” As I understand the article Sandile is the ‘chosen one’ to initiate an open discussion between white and black in South Africa and what is perceived by both sides as blatant racism towards the other. If this by ‘open discussion’ is meant black extending the racial onslaught on whites, I missed the argument because this frontier has been blazing away for many years. Whites could say nothing in return (except amongst themselves) out of fear of being labelled ‘racist’.
I therefore interpret this article as an invitation for all South Africans to participate in opening this festering soar before it poisons the whole body and eventually leads to our total demise. Sandile says “Well, breaking the silence may light up a detonator that for too long has been craving to explode”. I hope for no explosion as none of us will benefit by it.
Let me then open the case for white South Africans in general and Afrikaners in particular. This I wish to do in reaction to arguments Sandile has made:
Ironically, it is now the responsibility of a dominantly black majority government (sic) to clean up 400 years of white European-created mess in
This is nonsense. When you look at South Africa you need to see it in the context of Africa. What you see in the rest of Africa is nothing to be proud of. The “white European-created mess” this government found when they took control, was better than anything else to be found on this continent.
The problem is that Africans always hide behind something to justify whatever problems they might have. If it is not colonialism, it is Apartheid or slavery. Death always has a cause. I do not say that these factors did not have a negative effect on its victims. I say that Europeans also had their misfortunes. We also were subject to slavery and social status. We were also exploited, wiped out by war and disease. But we do not keep crying about it. So, get over it. That is life and life is neither just nor fair.
I mean those people who benefit from the most heinous economic system on Earth, monopolise the wealth of the land and do not question why — after almost 400 years — descendants of rampaging European slave owners own Africa’s land and its riches and yet refuse to share its riches with the indigenous people.
It would seem that your problem is more with the economic system and the people who imported it into Africa. I’m glad that Sandile brought this up. What I have always found strange is that Africans despise western economics but they wish to wear western clothing (nice suite Sandile’s wearing in his photo!); they want to drive nice big cars and stay in big houses in the richest suburbs.
Why would Sandile – as a proponent of Africa, African values and the African Spirit – not yearn to exchange his suite for a ‘deurtrekker’ and his wife her brand name haute contoure for a topless skirt; cancel his credit agreement, give back his car and get back on his ox drawn wagon or donkey cart; cancel his bond and demolish his mansion and build a set of mud huts? Is this not how “the most heinous economic system on Earth” found you when first it arrived in Africa. Well, this was the situation even when I was still a small boy.
The world has experimented with different economic systems, including socialism and communism. All have failed to the degree that even China has been converted. I agree that capitalism is not perfect – far from it – but it is the best we have and until Africa can patent something better, we will have to live with it. Just don’t blame the whites for the fact that you are suffering due to over-indebtedness.
Taking the Afro-Americans – who still blame all their poverty and misfortune on slavery - as an example, I do not have much hope that Africa will ever accept responsibility for itself. There will always be some white ‘evil’ to blame. That being the case, Africa can take everything whites possess. They can chase us into the see (as I believe is their favorite day dream) – but they will remain poor for the rest of times.
“descendants of rampaging European slave owners own Africa’s land and its riches and yet refuse to share its riches with the indigenous people.”
Trading and owning slaves was not the exclusive right of whites. If I remember history this was a practice that was developed and practiced extensively in the Ottoman Empire and Arabia. If you demand a black reference I would refer you to what Credo Mutwa has written about the Phoenicians in the old Zimbabwe. Slavery has also been practiced in Africa itself. In fact, as we speak you will find slaves and slave owners in Mali.
I do believe it is due to these perceptions that Africans are inclined to support Arabia (Iran for instance) against the West. You are unfortunately playing into the hands of the real slave traders!
In regard to the allegation that whites refuse to share their riches with indigenous people just the following:
If we follow the example of the rest of Africa this ‘sharing-thing’ will most probably continue until there is nothing left that you can take from the whites ‘to share’. Then, as in the rest of Africa, there will be very little whites left and all will be equally poor.
- “Since 1994, according to the BusinessMap Foundation, there have been R225-billion-worth of BEE transactions, with 173 empowerment deals, worth R75-billion, in 2006 alone;
- The buying power of the country’s 2,6-million black diamonds is at about R180-billion;
- 40% of South Africans are unemployed and 54% of South Africans live below the poverty line;
So, what the hell are you talking about?!
I’m finished.Thank you for the opportunity. I feel much better. In closing I would like to add this thought. My ascendants fought bloody wars in this country to free ourselves of British oppression. The soil of Africa is drenched with our blood. We love this country and if any foreign power would consider taking it away from us Sandile and I will die next to each other in the trenches, comrades in arms, fighting for our beloved common home.
J.C.Grobler.
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December 5th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Review of Sandile’s article
1. Sandile’s core message is that we have gone tolerant of white racism and white domination.
2. He however does not substantiate this with any examples which leave one with a question of what is next. What should I do with all this 400 years of white domination?
3. He goes on to talk about himself being a dread-lock radical in the 90’s which undercut his poor message.
4. At the end you are left with a the same feeling one normally gets when reading the extreme left or right message; no possible action one can take to change the situation except name calling.
5. This review was completed without reading Grobelar’s response.
Review of Grobelar’s response
1. Grobelar response is to be expected from a white person who is neither left nor right wing; I even found it more respectful at times. Yes, I found his response obviously painful at times but by large accurate.
2. Grobelar stated more facts while I think Sandile was writing a fictional leftist piece which says nothing about anything.
3. Grobelar does not try to deny the fact that white people did oppress and enslave black people.
4. He says this is a tough world, it is not fair play, better get used to it. He also argues that slavery is still alive in Africa. Well, he goes to BEE too to illustrate some of his response.
5. Grobelar makes another point about Afro-Americans who still blame all their poverty and misfortune on slavery. This has kept them from moving forward after more 300 years of white domination.
Own views
1. I think Grobelar’s response to Sandile’s article make Sandile’s article to even look better than it ought to be. Sandile needs to organize his ideas before publishing them to a wide audience.
2. He needs to pay particular attention to what his objective in his writing is, Grobelar owes black people nothing; he responded as such, he is nor friend nor foe.
3. This is a tough world; it owes Africa and everyone for that matter nothing. We need to focus on building our African nations.
4. We need to appraise our progress as a people accurately and design government programmes (educational and otherwise) that have a long term focus (20 years out).
5. African governments and individuals must stop to blame someone else for their miseries; stop to blame the imperialist, colonist, etc. while they continue to misgoverning their countries and enriching themselves.
6. We need to focus on a generation long plan for the continent of Africa.
7. I will start with the family unit, defining each African family goal to be better than your parents; define for each government to be better than the previous government so that we can move forward.
8. Fight the tendencies to blame anyone for anything; my white Afrikaans teacher told me I will never become a graduate engineer. I exceeded this mark; Meneer De Villiers owes me nothing.
9. I am not a blog writer, I was simple responding to the above articles but people who want to write on these issues need to focus on the practical things people/governments need to do everyday.
10. If Sandile cannot link his writing to any change programme he can better serve this world by becoming a fiction writer.
Unfortunately; to write on topics that Sandile is writing on, one needs to be thoughtful before crafting aimless messages.