When I first read the scrolling news flash at the bottom of the TV screen '22 foreign nationals killed in wave of violence by disenfranchised mobs in South Africa', my first thought was of black South Africans attacking white expats.
'Oh crap, these blacks are gonna catch some serious hell from the local authorities for daring to raise a hand to the white expats', I said to myself.
I thought the police would enforce harsh curfews, carry out mass arrests, prop up check points at every intersection, maybe even threaten a state of emergency – all to ensure the complete and utter safety of their precious expats.
And if the South African authorities weren't doing enough, the governments of the foreign nationals would surely intervene, ranging from diplomatic pressure to emergency airlifting of their citizens.
Fortunately we were spared the horror of such a tragic turn of events.
Because the foreign nationals being killed weren't European or American. They were African blacks, mostly from neighboring Zimbabwe, as well as Malawi and Mozambique.
That's why the police crackdown never came to be.
That's why police hell wasn't let loose on the culprits.
That's why more than 20,000 of these foreign nationals have fled their homes instead of waiting for the government crackdown on these mobs.
That's why these 'foreign nationals' are huddled in tents surrounding local police stations out of fear for their lives, instead of living comfortably in their homes, secure in the knowledge that the government will do anything and everything to ensure their safety.
That's why 20 more have died since the original outburst last week (total now stands at 42).
Its just another case of black-on-black violence. No biggie.
Oh wait, the police finally showed up, NINE DAYS after the violence started. But this Reuters piece correlates their sudden arrival at the scene with the drop in the value of the South African currency as well as the potential damage to their bid for the 2010 soccer World Cup.
And ELEVEN DAYS later, the army has been deployed to help quell the violence.
This is 21st century civilization. Yay for humanity!
WAW
5 days ago
2 comments:
I have read your post with interest; and you are obviously an educated man, with your turn of phrase. As a White South Africa - living now in London - I can understand your feelings and attitude; however, let me assure you that exactly what is taking place in SA now is what we as a white collective feared so many years ago. It is an acknowledged fact that the majority of blacks in SA are peace loving and warm people; Unfortunately the apartheid Government made some dramatic mistakes in not planning for the imbalance between the enormous population growth and economic development that SA would require even if apartheid had survived to cater for the frustrations of the masses; i.e. efducation, employment, the right to feed and clothe their children, own homes and the hope of a better life for all, and more.
There are South Africans here who will castigate me for the moderate approach I am taking towards the black masses "Die Swart Gevaar" but unfortunately the truth is the truth; the apartheid leaders of yesteryear have to be thnked for what is happening in SA today; I hang my head in shame when I remember the way in which blacks were treated in SA for many years; Apartheid was an institution that could not endure; it was just too suppresive and wrong. The apartheid Govt also palyed a part in the tragedy that has befallen many White South Africans, particularly those of Afrikaans persuasion; they educated many of them just sufficiently to have a State controlled labour force; and by guaranteeing them employment in state organisations, supported by the then massive mining sector; many young white South African were guaranteed jobs when leaving school 20 years ago, they controlled them through lettng them believe that they would loose everything if the balacks were allowed equal rights; in a sense they were correct; through producing four generations of military orientated, highly trained yet ill educated white South Africans the reality today has become a time bomb waiting to go off! Things are now very different in that these same people have seen their jobs lost to blacks who have better qualifications, they are not skilld and educated enough to support themselves as for many years they enjoyed free housing, low cost - high living standards and as long as they went to Church and listened to the Priest (Dominee) where the Africkaans Churches were often the Governments mouthpiece and the manner in which the State controlled the thought processes of the masses of lower educated, decent white Afrikaans speaking South Africans, using their traditional and cultural values to control them, with devastating effect, all was good, or the facade was!
I served in the SADF (now the SANDF) in a top unit; and was proud to be of service to my country; I was wounded in combat and bore the scars proudly; Even when FW De Klerk took the giant step of 'now or never' towards the rubicon, which saved a lot of bloodshed; the 'gravy train' attitude towards redistribution and economic regeneration in SA where the typical African mentality prevailed and a few of the elite blacks managed to get their hands onto most of the wealth that was diverted towards black business, with not much thought for their less fortunate countrymen whose circumstances deteriorated as apposed to the days of rigid Apartheid rule, added to the frustrations of the masses in their plight to find employment and feed their families and children, all added to the speculation that the 3000,000 odd foreigners living in SA have taken over South African employment opportunities; which may be blamed on two aspects: the inherent lack of education of the SA black (and white) labour force, and the Govt pressures on SA businesses, predominantly white owned business to create black business opportunities through the use of arcane Laws such as BEE and similar structures to rectify the imbalance of wealth and employment distrubution, which has opened up a whole new can of worms.
I once patrolled in these same townships in a military capcity in the 1980's; I can assure you that the approach that soft the SA Govt is taking is the best while tryin to deal with the situation.
My country is a political time bomb waiting to explode; life is cheap in SA and it will take very little for the violence to be redirected towards the White community with the current tensions, which will result in the eventual bloodbath that we as White South Africans have feared for over 20 years!
The problem is; while the world is very quiet now despite the CNN and BBC broadcasts; with little or no condemnation of the events taking place in SA now; what will be their reaction when the blacks - as many of us believe they most certainly will do - turn their attentin to the 'White Settlers' and we all fight back, with many of us who are offhsore returning to SA to take up arms to support our families and homes?
Will we be condemed again because we are white? I cared for a long time, I believed in the Rainbow Nation, I listened to Mandela and Tutu and gave them their chance; with what is growing in SA today there is only one option: WAR! War against what is taking place in our country right now; and if it means that I, and I would believe many others, have to return back to SA to protect our loved ones, or die trying; that is the way it has to be!
We were not once the best military force in Africa for nothing! We are still those same people, any attack our families and family homes will result in a bloodletting such as has not been seen for many generations, we as White South Africans are happy to live side by side with Black South Africans, we are all Africans under our skins, but enough is enough. Cross the boundaries at your own risk! You have already gone too far!
Anonymous,
Thank you for the comment. I read it with great interest, as obviously you have more insight to the situation than I.
However, root causes aside (which have their proper place in this discussion), my gripe is with the government's lazy response to what is commonly written off as black-on-black violence, giving it a second tier status when it comes to criminal activities.
What do you say of my contention that if the violence were against whites, the government would declared all-out war on the culprits?
"what will be their reaction when the blacks - as many of us believe they most certainly will do - turn their attentin to the 'White Settlers' and we all fight back,"
My point is that you will never have to fight back - the government will do it for you!! Sadly, the same could not be sad for the unfortunate migrants from Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Post a Comment