12/2005
South Africa, the symbol of hope for Africa and the World, proof that a righteous transition does not have to be a blood bath. A 10-day tour of this land once known as Azania, serves not as an academic study, but moreover it reveals the obvious somber social dynamic in plain view of all, with eyes willing to see.
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GOOD: South Africa boast one of the best democracies in the world.
GOOD: Fully devloped infra-structure (services, internet, roads, banks, etc)
BAD: It is a society of the worst cases of minority white race privallage
BAD: South Africa is one of the most immoral societies in the world
It does not take long to realize that you do not need apartheid to keep people separated; they do that on their own. Natural fears blended with the injustice fused into inherent cultural prejudices make for the cocktail that is South Africa. It is impossible to believe that unnatural forces alone kept Indians ruthlessly to their Indians communities and Whites ruthlessly to theirs. It is not apartheid that created this, as this orientation can be found in Kenya, Barbados, Guyana wherever cultures are forced together. It is not religion; it is not even culture, but inherent privilege derived from race, born out of inequity.
As someone remarked, South Africa is the Southern most point of Europe. South Africa is the kind of place where you can arrive at the airport and take the right turns in your BMW, listen to the radio, drive right to your hotel, go shopping, switch on the TV, go on a safari, go to the beach and barely see an African; if one was so inclined.
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Hidden in plain view is an injustice, which speaks in volumes to the global condition of Africans and their inherent social and economical disadvantage even in their own lands: a condition unique to African people as a racial family.
PHYSICAL CULTURE
South African Indians are said to be majority Hindu but the preserved dominate culture is that of Islam, Islam has many natural cultural landmarks which are visibly obvious within 5 minutes of touring Durban, most notable is the Arabic script and the Halal food restaurants. The distinctive dress shouts out wherever it lives.
Unlike West Africa there is a visual lack of culture which hits you in West Africa where African dress sense is African. South Africa is more “Western” like the Caribbean and there is the feeling of cultural remission.
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The language of the Africans is distinctively Zulu in Durban and it offers a refreshing cultural connection to Africa. The dancing Sagomas frequent to the beach also offer an insight into the spiritual realm of hidden South Africa. The Sagomas are said to have the ability to foresee the future: one wonders what secrets they hold on their wise tongues for South Africa's future.
All desperate attempts to access authentic Zulu African music are thwarted, even the Zulu stations seem more loyal to African-American artist, and the European controlled stations more partial to Elton John and George Michael. Considering the technological development of South Africa, which unlike most other African nations, is on par with any western nation in terms of visual and audio technology, itit is strange to observe the lack of an obvious strong local music scene. Not that it doesn't exist, had it been compared to the Caribbean almost covert rather than a prominent feature oozing out of the pores of African communities locally and internationally, instead a visitor is forced to purposely search beneath the popular western music for a taste of the South African flavor.
RELIGION AND CULTURE
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Outside of Durban the African flavor increases as the houses take on the traditional Zulu shape. The compound had a central circular house with smaller circular houses around it. These smaller houses are for the wives, as polygamy is strongly practiced despite the European version of Christianity. |
But the rule of “providing for” sets natural limits. Regardless of western mental perception of polygamy it is clearly an extremely successful and sensible option in the African landscape and serves African non-urban communities well. All the children live together under one roof and regard all the wives as their mother. Within these rural areas is the healthy resurgence of African traditions which is redefining Christianity from an African perspective. To reflect this are the increasing growth of new African centered Christian churches which stress African value systems: a stark contrast to the government legislation which makes South Africa the only country in Africa to recognize homosexual marriages.
The ugly side of the story (New)
Most stereotypes and fears are rooted, however minor, in some aspects of truth. A recent report from the Medical Research Council of South Africa in four South African men has raped at least one woman in their lifetimes. Unfortunately South Africa’s African communities have no shortage of immorality; alcohol, immaturity, lack of responsibility, laziness, sex, crime and all kinds of myopic antisocial behavior. This is a broad generalization which mostly applies to urban areas. However, this immorality exists at levels which would be hard to find in many other African countries. Nowhere in Africa can one see a plethora of abortion adverts saying “painless, free cleaning, recommend a friend and get discount”. To the casual observer it almost justifies why they needed apartheid; but it must be remembered that it was the parameters of apartheid which created this situation for it locked these problems up in the villages and townships and then when the walls of apartheid came crashing-down the freedom, or illusion thereof, sent the people into the most vulgar expression of liberation.
Despite the threat of HIV people woman and men have maybe 15 partners a year minimum. Women have 4-5 boyfriends who are termed “minister of beauty, Minister of transport, Minister of accommodation” each boyfriend is used for a specific source of capital. And most women by the age of 21 have a child and you can be sure there is no husband around to contribute. The priorities, as witnessed in the Americas, is transient visible wealth; gold, expensive cars, etc. The value of the cars often is three times the value of the houses they own (if they own a house). They live grossly materialistic lives with no aim for future development. The youth generally have no scope for navigating education and becoming legitimate businessmen, they are looking for that “get rich or die trying” 50 cent mentality. As ugly as these truths are it is impossible to reflect on a society if one side of the story is exposed.
Europeans everywhere, especially the conquering Europeans, express their oppression via the same agents. But in the case of South Africa it couldn’t be more profound. And one feature of European occupation is to make real the original stereotypes laid down to justify conquest. Thus the barbarity and sexual freedom which exist today are pointed to, in a bid to justify the separation. But when we look at cultural traditions such as the reed dance we see it could not have been so. How did South Africa go from a nation which cherished and celebrated virginity to a nation of teenage mothers and competing abortion clinics? But it is no longer safe to point the blame as it is for those suffering to examine the problem and rectify it. The mission of the so-called leader (leaders of government, communities, churches, mosque, etc) to stand-up and demand a moral society. If they chose is between human rights for the sake of looking “democratic” and reintroducing the death penalty for the sake of addressing the hideous crime rate, then South Africa will continue to be the worst victim of moral decay in the 21st century. The freedoms the liberators of South Africa fought for where freedoms which build societies and build people, not to exercises in every excess imaginable. We cannot be offended by a stark truth because it is true. We must be bold enough to stop washing over the sickness which plagues a people if we are serious about a cure. And the illness of African urban communities is so deep it will take more than a generation to repair. And at the root of why it would take so long is the dynamics of socialization. You can take the most gifted youth and empower them, but the minute they return to that environment they become absorded into all kinds of negativity. The township youth have an uncanny loyalty to their friends when it comes to negative behavior. They would throw everything good out of the window for the sake of being in that negative environment.
ECONOMIC APARTHEID
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South Africa is majority European and Asian control; it is the reality without visible exception. Across the board there is always a white face holding senior rank, might it be; Zulu lodges, private game reserves, tour operators, hoteliers, all exclusively non-African. And to add to this the Africans employed do not hold any managerial |
post, they lie silent in the corner accepting the barks from their former slave masters now reassigned and reissued into the exact same position of authority but only now with the fake grin required “by law” in the rainbow nation forged from oppression and compromised.
On any given day in Durban it is possible to see large exclusive congregation of Asians around central social business spots like restaurants. A brief tour of Durban shows a stark monopoly of supermarket ownership, restaurants, practically everything that is worth owning. Even the small one-man street vendor trades are dominated by them. And now with the “death” of Apartheid the European and Asian business are venturing into the townships, the heart of the African community, and setting-up large business. With years of skills advantage, economic advantage they out compete any local venture. The promise of only servicing ones own local area has become more and more remote. New markets are quickly opening and closing to African people. It was said by one up and coming African supermarket owner that some Asians actually hire killer squads to break-up African business unity. Impossible to believe, but the same rumors are fresh and old in Guyana and Tanzania.
Politicians seem to seek solutions that please international eyes, solutions that avoid offending the old power brokers. In-between here lost in the rainbow of promises is the washed over interest of the disempowered African. Yes, a small cliché are allowed to enter the middle ranks and drive nice cars, the price for this is naturally still to serve under Europeans and Indians. It is interesting to note that the new South African government in the transition has somehow agreed to service a 40 billion debt of services charged per year on a debt created by the Apartheid regime. Maybe the government really has no true leverage to negotiate on behalf of its people, maybe apartheid ended after Africa sold it for a few items Europe could afford to give-up. The question of freedom and political self-determination must be asked, comprises is a natural part of any deal but the scary question is: in 40 years will anything have changed inline with the past promises? What is the objective of the ruling government and where do its allegiances sit? To the power brokers, or to the oppressed Africans? And how do we measure this work because we cannot simply have faith in trust and wait another decade to watch it fail.
Every year the Africans in the townships pull their money together and use this mass purchasing power to buy bags of critical foodstuff, thus allowing them collectively the best price. However, the Asians are aware of this annual bonanza and according to the laws of supply and demand; the prices suddenly increase during this “collective buy.” This proves that the best plans, fall-short if dependency still exists in the economic chain. More Africans in European run companies will not deliver justice. More African presenters on television answering to European writers and executives will fall short of reflecting diversity and restoring justice
NATURAL ECONOMIC POWER
There are not enough words in the English language to stress the importance of economic power and how it relates to self-determination. In the airport, on the television, on billboards there is an entire industry that caters for the taste and fancies of those with the economic currency to satisfy and sustain the feasibility of the items on offer. There is thus an orientation of items of which seem to be solely targeted to European taste, but this is natural as they are the ones with the necessary consumption power. At the airport there is more to cater for the celebration of the Hajj, despite Islam being a minority religion in South Africa, however economically South African airlines are getting a large percentage of business from the Asian Muslim community during the hajj period.
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It is only natural economically to tap this market and encourage their business with a targeted marketing campaign. Islamic culture has successfully, as an economic force, globally positioned itself into an economic advantage culturally and socially and |
thus retains strong powers of negotiation by virtue of the economics this culture generates; food, religious travel, clothing, religious buildings, religious schools, etc. If the African middle class in South Africa grows, this will naturally change products and services as this new African middle class begin to become of economic interest to businesses. Outside of this development of a middle and upper class, the trap will keep supporting those with the funds to attract the interest of businesses;; the adverts for merchandise will exclusively target those minority groups with the funds to access those services and products.
APPROACHING SLAVERY
The top hotel such as the City Lodge charges £55 per night while the cleaners get £5 per day; breakfast is £5 per day. This is a hotel charging international rates but paying staff sub-standard rates. Maybe it is sufficient to point to the condition called “something is better than nothing” as this argument serves the basis for the ruthless exploitation of labor, which has one intention; to approach slavery, i.e. free labor. Thus paying people 2 pennies above the zero line would be acceptable if they could get away with it; feeding on desperation born from abject poverty. This is the ruthless reality of capitalism, a system rooted in a Eurocentric post Darwinian model of survival of the “fittest” at the price of the “weakest”.
SKILLS, EDUCATION AND BUSINESS
Under Apartheid South Africans faced generations of generations of lost of vital skill banks. So while Europeans were getting access to qualifications and then acquiring years of experience and special knowledge in nation building sectors, these opportunities were denied to African people. This did not go on for one generation, and now South Africa today for the first time has a brand new generation now, and only now, accessing the necessary qualifications in nation-building subjects. It will take 30 years for this current generation to acquire the experience to become leaders in these fields. And with the deskilled generation dynamic no forced legislation of “Black Empowerment” could reverse the European domination of all key sectors within South Africa and Africa as a whole. Thus the earliest projection for senior African take over in South Africa is an optimistic 30 years providing education is up and ready to go in service of the underprivileged.
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Unfortunately, education is tied to economics and when the majorities are in poverty it means that access to the necessary education is not being satisfied and as a result, the blooming of the experienced elite to replace the Europeans will fall short. |
The government favors giving loans to African business people but if these people are skill deficient, a lot of wastage and failure will occur, to the cheer of critics who believe Africans are incapable of self-governance. Again the balance between business ownership, education and skill experience will determine the pace of true progress. If one of these things is out of balance the fragile process servicing progress will be arrested, because education without job opportunity doesn't create skill experience, education with skill experience limits the ascension of Africans within industry and will forever see them answering to a skilled European boss.
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If the productivity of the country is to survive it is critical that Europeans are retained in key positions where their privileged knowledge is required. Any sudden removal will prove detrimental to the country; however the permanent occupation of privileged positions in critical skill experience positions if not transferred, will forever protect European domination and leverage over African people. |
FUNDING DEPENDENCY
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The social culture in Africa encouraged through countless “development loans” has allowed some to profit and some good. But one aspect of this very rarely looked at, is the psychological consequences of funding, which has created a mental dependency in Africa. |
Where in a township of young African filmmakers funded to the teeth with the latest technology still sit unproductive on their hands waiting for the next European to come along and spoon-feed them. The mindset voiced is “when the big studios discover them”, “when the x and y fund pay for their script.” As opposed to adequate utilization of the benefits of funds, they believe themselves incapable of any advancement without direct assistance.
| Outside of this assistance they have become content to dream of the greener grass denied to them due to failed funding application. Funding is thus destroying self-application and resourcefulness. |
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Hence entire generations do not grow-up sensitive to capital generation or viable business strategies, they grow up sensitive to filing for funds and drafting proposals in areas (ignoring other areas), which grant access to funds. Thus a superficial look around sees Africa full of programs which are solely dependant on funding. Africans now mental believe without this funding there is no other option. And hence other options are never explored. As opposed to develop resource utilization they make big lists to satisfy budgets, hence when funds arrive there is no appreciation of what they have. A sad truth mentioned by a known enemy of African self-determination, Bob Geldof, is that there is an economic limit on how much funds can be given to Africa after which it becomes inefficient. Regardless of his malicious ill-informed reasons this statement is not beyond truth. Solutions interested in reforming poverty need to be broader than raw funds. Funding dependency is like opium in a war clinic, which eventual kills that which it intends to help.
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The genius of White Supremacy, when mastered, is it protects itself by breeding dependency among those it subjugates. Thus for the African to remove the European from their eco-political reality is like removing ones spine from the brain. |
Even if economics was poured on Africa, it still requires the same knowledge of Europe hence—Dependency.If education is achieved it is hinged on Africans obtaining capital to create business and jobs hence they return to the dependent condition. Quick fixes for European conscious will leave nice brochures and tidy projection models satisfied, but the condition on the ground in Africa would be as dire as ever. It is critical that the objective not only be lifting Africa out of poverty but the social/political and economic empowerment of the natural people of Africa beyond dependency. So speaking of foreign investors to create jobs is a side dish, what is needed is African owned industries which employ their own people.
LEGACY OF APARTHEID
The South African tale is anomalous and unique, but it is one that must be told as it best exemplifies the dependency brewing throughout the continent. South Africa was simply ignored by the West and its media during apartheid. Yet, its rich resources permitted the Apartheid regime to reap immense profits and produce technological and industrial development to the extent that once the regime was officially abolished the western media returned to reveal a wealthy and prosperous South African economy. In fact, they have more natural and economic resources within their borders than any other African country, but the years of deprivation during apartheid have made Africans incapable of efficiently managing their own resources.By eliminating apartheid Africans can no longer find a tangible obstacle to their social progress. It is embedded in years of academic ignorance, disease, lack of vocational training, psychological and physical abuse. Unless Africans see their current situation and the disparity within it through their own eyes, the wealthy minority will continue to reap the fruits of the immense resources of Africans.
Not only must Africans in South Africa have financial access to the best educational institutions at all levels but there needs to be a curriculum change to reverse the attitude that the majority of South Africans are bound to townships and removed from any possibility of successfully managing the resources that they own. The right to education cannot continue to be formulated to oppress a particular race yet alone the majority. It is the most brutal man made concept for this to happen, particularly in such a rich land. In the South African society nobody aspires to maintain their Africaness, yet unlike any other African country (where Africans are the majority) its development is on par with Western countries. It is particularly sad that Africans cannot stop looking for capital generating sources externally because they have so much to gain from doing so within their borders.
However, it is up to South Africans to recognize their own worth, to reverse the psychological effects of Apartheid and implement an attitude that will ensure that no other South African will be conned into such a system. South Africans should be proud of who they are because their status must generate wealth and development from resources that they own. Institutional change cannot reverse the effects of Apartheid on its own. It must be accompanied by an attitude change amongst South Africans for it to be of any significance.
REVERSE APARTHEID?
Indians and Europeans complain that they are denied jobs due to under qualified Africans getting them, Africans whom are thus less suitable for the positions. Where were these loud white voices when they profited from this gross inequity? Even the famous Gandhi only concerned himself with that which profited Indians. New informations shows Ghandi was actually a racist. Blinded by that which gives them an advantage the argument descends into “ohh there are two sides to the story.
There is however only one reality, Indians and Europeans for the natural life of what is called South Africa inherited hundreds of years of advantages and it is beyond reason at what steps, that will give them comfort, should be taken to restore an imbalance they are more than comfortable to maintain. This is why words like democracy and equality when thrown against justice are found wanting. Because “equality” fails to look at legacies, “equality” is confined to this time-frame and does cater for historical inequality, while justice speaks to legacy. Justice restores balance and if positive employment in African communities is what is needed to restore this imbalance then that is what has to happen. Despite the skills Europeans, farmers or other people have obtained through a horrid system of oppression, which become meaningless because this advantage means it will always maintain Europeans at the top Africans at the distant bottom.
Europeans think by volunteering to offer more managerial positions to Africans vindicates the past horrors but we need to be careful because these are still European owned business at their charity picking and choosing from the African populous, like a slave market. The issue is not for only greater Positive Employment but for absolute African economic self-determination, which can only be realized if African owned business start appearing on the all European South Africa stock market. This kind of vocabulary will bring social reform by actively reshuffling the color dynamics in the upper echelons of the South African economics.
MEDIA
One voice makes the news, the same group that are nurtured hand and foot to make sure the political temperature in South Africa isn't too hot, less they run away taking precious funds and skills. And it is in this rainbow nation that the colors are neatly arranged with white then brown then colored then finally with a massive gap--black.
A very interesting observation is that South African television is so clean that they edit out every curse word from the broadcast. They even edit out the expression “My God,” but they have no problem with the word Nigger which is blasted from all the negative European sponsored African-American “reality” movies about “hood” life. A stark reminder that from North pole to South Pole Africans have an agenda being set for them by a force outside of their control and outside of their interest. This global force defines reality; may it be the constant “hood” films or yet another European produced South African story of life filed with violence in Soweto. 95% of the content is White dominant. Watching the adverts on TV it would be hard to believe that Africans make up 80% of the population. Most adverts are exclusively white and those that do contain a few Africans usually show them as servants or part of an illusionary rainbow nation.
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All over the townships are large colorful billboards, either of Revlon products or the new “born free” campaign. It is clear that the mind that drafted this campaign paid no attention to the people it was intended for. |
A casual observation of a young African lady on a plane reading a book, a simple innocent act. But what is she reading? Who wrote it? Where did she buy it? Who from? Questions that paints the deepest picture, for if all information is informed by the oppressor, then what hope of self-awareness does an innocent African child in South Africa or anywhere else in the world have?
IDENTITY CRISIS
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“When your only source of information is someone else's culture, the price paid is a brutal identity crisis.” Alif Kaba Khan |
A casual conversation with three friendly boys two African one “colored” revealed the hideous vestiges of mental damage caused by living in South Africa. The darkest boy argued that he was really “colored” and not “African” he spoke with a “colored” accent, which is very unusual for an African to speak with, something that at 12 years old he was truly proud of.
All three boys expressed their desire to get white or “colored” girlfriends and scoffed at the idea of an African young lady, the two African boys remarked how ugly African women were and not “sexy” like the “colored” girls. But top on the score list was the all precious European girls. Among themselves they pointed out who was “black” and who was “colored” often not being fully sure of this color caste which evidently has no bases for validity, but clear from the confusion and mental occupation it created, only served to show how mentally destructive race can be.
The chaos and the destruction visited was erupted when they started comparing the “curliness” of their kinky hair seeking strands from their head which were less kinked as evidences of “mixture.” All of this from three young boys approaching puberty all educated in the best schools in South Africa. Born into a “free society” of inherent self-hatred, which has the ugliest manifestations of absolute identity rejection, for one boy it was painful when he realized he was the same skin color as someone he had just labeled as “black and ugly.”
Mixed into this self-hatred was the irony of the hip-hop culture which was one thing they were desperately proud of. The lightest one with his red-brown skin, green eyes and thick straight hair showed signs of an African ancestor but so distant through the “color on color marriages” could be forgiven for being confused in such a racial confusing country, but the other two were so much more vocal on proving their non-Africaness even denying being able to speak Zulu. The final insult was when they asked a European friend to judge between them for who was more or less African. This is South Africa, this is London, this is Barbados, and this is the world forced head first into a Eurocentric dominating culture which is utterly intolerant and mentally and socially destructive.
It is next to impossible to see a girl beyond seven years old without the tell tale “bad” Revlon effect. Blinded by European ideas of beauty fed from Europe and “famous” African-Americans, hair-mutilation products poison children from day one. Before they buy books or shoes, they have their hair terribly burnt straight in the most hideous way. Stiff and inflexible it steals from their innocents and natural African beauty. It is unlikely skin-bleaching products would be as popular in South Africa as in other parts of Africa because the people are generally much lighter skin due to the climate of the region. And in this is the twist of Eurocentrity where the light-skin Khoikhoi (man of man) people, were artificially classified as “colored” in an attempt to sustain the natural hatred between them and their Bantu colonizers.
THE QUESTION OF COLORED
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Unlike people of multi-ethnicity parentage in other countries who have a blatant connection to an African parent to draw culture and sense of identity from the “Caped Colored” is at a distinctive disadvantage as they are predominately the product of generations of colored and colored marriages thus creating a unique “race” with absolutely no homeland or language. |
Their identities as a group seems rooted in actions which allow them to approaching the unobtainable “whiteness.” While espousing social self-hatred of their African bloodline fighting desperately to escape anything that connects them to this. Their language is naturally that of the Europeans—Afrikaan. Violently emotionally seeking Whiteness means their desired choice of partners orientated towards Europeans, furthering their disconnection in a world where authentic identity is becoming more of a birthright to be celebrated.
BLACK OR AFRICA
As one articulate brother highlighted the whole concept of Africans being labeled “black” served the racist European settlers in legitimizing their claim to African land. Because then Africa was the land of two races blacks and whites but the minute the word African was used as a label it constantly shinned as a reminder that the people of Africa are called by the continent which bears that name, a deeply significant unbreakable bond to that which is the bases for all of the oppression—land.
Thus, Africans defining themselves as black removed their inherent claim to the land. The term Europeans serves as a constant reminder that in Africa there are the legitimate people of the land and the other groups are Indians and Europeans whose native land is India and Europe respectively.
The new trend in Europeans adopting the term African is clearly one which allows them equal access or better yet retention of the fruit of their bloody legacy in Africa. It serves to negate policies that seek balance as they claim the title African and all the profits of that title while inheriting none of the disadvantages, especially when they venture into international waters. Likewise, Black on the other hand is adopted by Indians to guarantee that any new legalization coming from the new government is inherited by them.
With the efforts of Thabo Mbeki who proclaimed everyone in South Africa, Africans testify to a tragic dilemma of misrepresentation. Mbeki then found space in the lyrics of the national anthem for the curtsied Afrikaan language which at every singing must remind Africans that the price of “freedom” is to sell-out ones heritage and history. Cheek turning casual ill-informed policies of appeasement crash hope in those who have suffered so long. These are the things obvious to the eyes, how can the African put faith in a government so obviously compromised. The ancestors must ride out immortality in tearful silence watching their pain and sacrifice, hopes and dreams traded for cheap trinkets.
CORRUPTION AND EUROPE'S AGENDA
Corruption in Africa they say is the biggest problem, but corruption exist where poverty exist. Thus corruption is the fruit of wealth disparity, and this disparity is what lies at the root of the problem, not the other way around. Crime in South Africa is not the problem; the problem again is wealth imbalance. There is virtually no hope for a poor South African. Africans to ascend the ranks and become an owner of a large commercial enterprise, he can however if he is lucky, very lucky ascend to work under a European manger. Crime in South Africa is not the actions of an evil soul but desperation, or belief in desperation. Just as terrorism is not fueled by religious zeal but more over oppression of religious and political self-determination Had these criminals roaming the streets of South Africa been exposed to the fullest education backed with strong family units and not a European dominated materialistic culture toyed in their face it is very unlikely that most of them would be committing these crimes. So to spend two years talking about greater security, or bigger prisons is a distractive tactic when most of the focus should be on resolving why people need to steal. This is also true for corruption. So it is absolutely perverted to say the problem is corruption, the problem is abject poverty and instability. Corruption is world wide, it is just that corruption in the US senate has a more beautiful word. When Enron was found liable was corruption plastered all over the world press? The value of this corruption in monetary funds could be greater than all of Africa combined. Petty corruption cannot be Africa's downfall. And again and again we see the European agenda showing its head where Africa is blamed and Europe is vindicated: Slavery—Africa's fault, Poverty Africa's fault. AIDS Africa's fault. The mention of Mbeki's name in the West always focuses down on his HIV/AIDS policy, of all the things he has said and done why is this the key area of focus? Because Europe selects the agenda for Africa.
Transatlantic slave trade, colonial rule, viral introduction, destruction of African family unit through poverty and slavery has no bearing in these issues. It is almost like Africa woke up and found itself in this mess. And this gross injustice speaks to the head of the issue—Self-Determination. Europe ultimately decides which voices they will be aired, and not aired, demonize or celebrated. Mugabe is a victim of this; Mandela is another example of this on the flipside. Once they love and sell back to the world and the other they hate. It is a fact Europe doesn't act in its disinterest and the love of Mandela is not accidental, once a terrorist he is now a world symbol, the unspoken question needs to be asked---Why? South Africa has produced three European approved greats in the African World Mandela, Wangari Maathai and Desmond Tutu. It must be said quietly there is no mistake when Europeans select and celebrate Africans.
GUM TREE PROJECT
A new scheme in South Africa is the new gum tree, which litters the roadsides outside of the major towns. The new trees have an unusually fast growth rate that means they are ready for harvest within 10 years. The wood has limited use and cannot be used for construction without extensive post-treatment. However, whoever engineered the scheme forgot to tell the eager Africans. It was said the first harvest belongs to the Europeans and the harvest after that belongs to the Africans. It would be interesting or hopeful that the economic value of the Gum trees would be as profitable by the time the Africans get their turn. But we can see a new product arriving on the market by the time they get to harvest and Europe collecting again and again. And we have to ask who owns the processing factories? Who owns the pulp factories? It is no surprise to find the answer to these questions because when solutions for Africa keep coming from those whose traditional role is that of exploitation it is no surprise to see the constant implementation of projects that profit them first Africa last, if at all.
DEMOCRACY
10 Years of democracy seems to be a political and economic backdoor for one of the most ruthless exponents of White supremacy in the world. They lose political power, or appear to lose political power while making sure all the old injustices get window dressed and glorified as truth and reconciliation. Europe gave up what it could afford to give up, while the Africans cashed in their justice for the admin of a country governed by white economics. They escape economically by maintaining the same business monopoly to save a few dark faces, which can exist at sub-managerial roles, so now walking into an office it, is just that much darker.The structures and systems in place hold no true promises of change if they are built defensively to the whims of Europeans. In other words if the policies of change are more orientated on what compromises Europeans are willing to make rather than what Africans need for liberation.
RECONCILIATION WITHOUT JUSTICE
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The 16th of December is a public holiday in South Africa called Reconciliation Day, a day which honors the work of reconciliation between the conquers and the conquered. |
However the average person on the street had no idea of what the day was about. It is interesting that on this day of reconciliation millions of Africans swarmed the beaches to enjoy this holiday but where were the Asians and Europeans?—no where to be found. Truth and reconciliation is one of the biggest farces put before the world. From “Red Dawn” with Hilary Swank to “In my country” with Samuel Jackson, film and politics work together to social engineer passive acceptance of this insult to human suffering. All these films display one thing, the ablity to forgive and forget, to move on and allowe the Whites to keep the spoils of war. Which brings into question so-called African cinema in South Africa which is a European only domain. They write the themese and set the agendas, agenda which protect their intererest for clearly Africans forgiving them is only in their interest. Europeans come from the wealthy suburbs to tell their “truth” and Africans come from the townships of poverty to listen to the “truth” without any hope of justice that is supposed to bring closure. The Europeans, not even seeking forgiveness, gets in their Mercedes Benz and drive back to their house equipped with a full range of African servants and heated swimming pool while the African walks back to their township with slung heads, empty pockets and evaporated hopes. The price for hearing the truth is everything stays the same. Denial of justice is not just an issue for South African people, as some believe but an issue for Africans globally. Because Africans didn't create the false notion of Southern Africa. Hence the blood and pain and oppression levied on South Africa are an injury on Africans across the globe.
The European voice internationally cheers the success of the “monkey courts” use to trade hundreds of years of pain for silly gestures. The tone is one of normalizing suffering across the board “we all suffered,” “let's heal as one.” It is interesting no one expects this of other communities. If the Jewish community found a 100 year old Nazi war criminal they would hunt him down and give him a full trial without an eye blink. Can you imagine the Jewish community hugging and kissing the Nazis that burnt them in ovens? Those present and not present those in the Diaspora who spoke out, so the betrayal is strongly felt not only by South Africans but by Africans globally.
CONCLUSION
South Africa unlike Ethiopia does not have massive famines but it is said HIV/AIDS is a crisis beyond any other country on Earth. It is interesting a disease unprecedented in Africa is now most common in Africa, and for those that venture into this discussion are labeled as conspiracy theorist, but not so those European writers, which still “factually” claim, AIDS has its roots in “deepest darkest Africa.” in every breath Europeans serve their own interest first and at the expense of justice and truth, clearly the question of intention must be asked.Until Africans can place their own benchmarks and international standards for evaluating themselves, they will always fall short of global excellence.ms, profited from these problems, transferred these problems during “independence” and now is back with a new hat profiting from solving these pr
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And until the promise of humanity to every citizen of the Earth should be equal access to justice, education, housing, health, nutrition, security and self-determination. If South Africa does not tell us that, then our eyes are white shut to inequity hung directly before us. And as history has shown us, boiling kettles if left unchecked boil over to the peril of all. |
oblems. And in all of this has managed to blame Africans for all their problems. Talk on the street of a recent homosexual child rapist who naturally paid his way backp.s. Avoid flying Air France
If we stand tall it is because we stand on the shoulders of many ancestors.
- African Proverb 
The most pathetic thing is for a slave who doesn't know that he is a slave.
