RACISM

RACISM HAS RAISED ITS UGLY HEAD ONCE AGAIN.

South Africa came to democracy fairly late, hence was able to draw on the collective wisdom of foreign democratic countries globally. Its constitution came into effect on 4 February 1997 and is widely regarded as the most progressive constitution in the world, with a Bill of Rights totally inimitable, unique. It is also unusually long because it's been  compiled in all eleven official languages during the transition from apartheid to democracy, with an acute awareness of the injustices of the country's non-democratic past. It is the highest law of the land and no other law or government action can supersede it, and under its protection, human rights and freedoms are given unimpeded priority and prominence. In its founding provisions it emphasizes the intention of establishing "a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights", among which are:

• Human dignity, 
• Advancement of human rights and freedoms, 
• Freedom of expression and association,
• Achievement of equality, 
• Equal political and property rights, 
• Equal housing, 
• Equal health care, 
• Equal education, 
• Equal access to information, 
• Equal access to courts, 

These are just a few basic rights that the democratic citizens of South Africa take very seriously and hold very dear.  However under apartheid South Africa, its citizens were essentially divided into two main categories. The first category comprised the privileged "whites" who collectively discriminated against the deprived  second category which constituted Indians, Coloureds and Blacks. The White Racist South African Government purposely established a Department of Indian affairs, a Department of Colored affairs and a Department of Bantu affairs, to keep these peoples in check, each given less privileges than the other respectively.  Apparteheid was rife  from 1948 to 1994 and  during this time, the general White mind set was supremacy, discriminatory and begrudging. 

Edited from the Population Register Act No 30 of 1950;  A White person is  in appearance
White and not Coloured; A Coloured is a person who is not a White or a Bantu

From the Government Gazette registration of reclassification, 1984. 518 Coloured persons
were reclassified as White persons. 1 White person was reclassified as a Coloured person.

Name calling was "their privilege" verbal  abuse was their "passport" and beating up no-whites was their "right". Non-whites could only be employed as laboures and farm workers,  waters, gardeners, maids, street sweepers, bus-boys, delivery staff and cleaners, etc, who were called, lazy, baboons, apes, monkeys, dumb,  stupid and ignorant because of the gutter education they were given. They were considered third class citizens. Among all three racial groups there were teachers, admin clerks, secretaries, shop assistants, tailors, etc and they were considered second class citizens but the posts of managers, supervisors, postal clerks, bank tellers, policemen, estate agents, train drivers, inspectors, artisans were reserved for whites. 

But in the remote event that a non-white person secured any of these posts, their financial remuneration was normally a fraction of that paid to Whites. Most Whites were raised in affluence with a sense of superiority, an air of supremacy and the legal right to discriminate, but there were exception though few and far between. To put it bluntly, they were raised as White Racists. Racism isn't hereditary, it is learnt, because nobody is born a Racist. They were well taught to hate everything and everyone that wasn't White and no new dispensation / democratic constitution was  going to change them into non-racists overnight. But like I said earlier, there are exceptions.  Admittedly there are some White South Africans living in abject poverty and squaller, yet raised as White Racist as if the colour of their skin made them superior. Even some 21 year old's who were born in 1994 after the "demise of apartheid" are racist because their parents Racists taught them that "Racism was Right".

Twenty five  years of democracy later, racism is still raising its ugly head, prompting the African National Congress (ANC)  to lay charges of crimen injuria at  the  South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) against a number of white South Africans for alleged racist remarks posted on the twitter and facebook social media platforms. KwaZulu-Natal realtor and DA member Penny Sparrow angered many SA citizens with her racist  utterance on Facebook, saying:-

“These monkeys that are allowed to be released on New Years Eve and New Years day on to public beaches towns etc obviously have no education what so ever and to allow them loose is inviting huge dirt and discomfort to others”.  “From now I  shall address the blacks of South Africa as monkeys as I see the cute little wild monkeys do the same pick drop and litter.”

White Racist Realtor Penny Sparrow on Facebook

The TV program 'Durban Beach Rescue' (SA's version of Bay Watch) that's been flighting weekly show cased the masses that flock to the beaches of Durban over the festive season, which gave a gave a fair  idea of what the situation looked like.  Either this or personl attendance prompted the White Racist FatTruckSA  gym owner Justin van Vuuren to facebook:- 

"I don't care what ppl say but I am so  so  so disgusted by by the state of the Durban beachfront these people come from their homes or where ever they live to literally throw all a heir shit all over the floor! There is no control over these animals! Our promenade smells like piss and shit and I hat it! The municipality needs to stop this! These ppl are destroying the beach! Go back back to where you come from and take your 13 kids with you! Also teach them to look left and right before crossing the promenade! They seem to have no depth perception neither! I recommend we make our promenade private! It shouldn't  be enjoyed by the scum of the nation!  I'm in total disgust".

Chris Hart an Economist for Standard Bank tweeted, "More than 25 years after Apartheid ended, the victims are increasing along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities….".

White Racist Chris Hart, an economist for Standard Bank who doesn't share his views.

Chris Hart has subsequently been suspended pending an inquiry by Standard Bank.  Penny Sparrow was expelled from the Democratic Alliance (DA)  who also laid criminal charges against her for infringing the dignity of all South Africans and for dehumanising Black South Africans. She was also dismissed from Jarwits Real estate pending an investigation. Justin van Vuuren  lost the Futurelife sponsorship. The SAHRC plans to probe into the racist social media comments made by the these White Racists with possible prosecution, even though the constitution doesn't make provision for that yet. But for now, i'ts just a matter of time before legislation will be put in place since all exposed White Racists assumed an insincere apology is sufficient to cut it.  I'm pretty sure, the one thing   these three White Racists have  learnt from their experiences, is that you cannot  fight racism with racism. And I'm certain there are millions of others that can learn from their experience. Amandla!