‘Less talk, more change’

Anti-racism campaign needs to make tangible difference in people’s lives, critics warn

WITHOUT clear policy changes to create economic opportunities for all, the City of Cape Town’s new anti-racism campaign could end up being nothing more than a “talk shop”, says the Institute for Race Relations.

And the ANC in the city has called on the South African Human Rights Commission to intervene and lead the campaign, as they claim mayor Patricia de Lille is unable to reach out to the broader community.

Mienke Steytler, spokeswoman for the institute, said: “Talking and getting people together is important but changing people’s lives is what will really matter. And that will only happen when they have jobs and can live dignified and true lives.

“The main issue is economic inequality – the more unequal South African society becomes, the more likely racial incidents are.”

The ANC’s Tony Ehrenreich said that while race was an important issue in the city, it would take more than a few “posters and pamphlets” to break down the divides.

“The mayor can’t even talk to the ANC in the City of Cape Town, how will she be able to reach out to the broader community?”

Ehrenreich said the anti-racism campaign needed to be non-partisan and above party politics. The ANC wanted thecommission to convene the anti-racism dialogue.

“De Lille is trying to politicise the issue of race relations. It is a reflection of how she engages publically.”

While commission spokesman Isaac Mangena did not comment on the commission’s possible involvement, he said: “Racism is a national problem affecting every citizen in this country. And as the commission we welcome any efforts by groups or individuals to come up with solutions to deal with this problem. We should all work towards ridding our nation of all racial prejudices, and for once forget about political affiliations, and join hands to deal with what is becoming a national problem.”

At the launch of the Inclusive City campaign on Human Rights Day on Saturday, De Lille acknowledged that “campaigns such as these sometimes have a tendency to fix everything”.

Policy interventions, such as free and subsidised basic services to poorer residents, would address material conditions in the city, while the campaign would encourage “constructive dialogue” about racism and include discussions about prejudice and racism with the property, hospitality, university, media and retail sectors.

De Lille later wrote an open letter to Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, asking him to show evidence of the racist incidents in Cape Town that he referred to during a parliamentary question last week.

That sparked outrage on social media,but De Lille said yesterday she wanted Ramaphosa to provide details so that the city could work with him to deal with the problem. She referred again to her earlier statement that she would “use that evidence in my engagements and take direct action”.

“It is up to our country’s leaders to provide direction on these matters. I take your allegations seriously and ask you to join me in tackling these issues head-on.”

Vuyisa Qabaka, director of the South African Black Entrepreneurship Forum, took up the debate on social media. “The city’s campaign is deserving of our collective support, but I’m not sure that the campaign goes far enough. I fear that the campaign is a self-serving, box-ticking exercise that will not resolve the issue.”

Qabaka said numerous incidents of racism were being dealt with in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court while complaints involving an upmarket hotel and a Kloof Street nightspot were still unresolved. Cases included the assault of a gardener by a white motorist and allegations that a 19-year-old urinated on a black taxi driver from the balcony of a nightclub in Claremont.

De Lille said the city would share information about individual rights as part of its campaign. “We want people to know that they cannot be discriminated against, that their dignity must be protected and respected and that they can associate with whomever they want.”

But the campaign has been slammed as an election ploy by the Western Cape ANC, whose deputy secretary, Maurencia Gillion, said: “The ANC Western Cape welcomes any dialogue on racism as it is a monster destroying the roots of the young tree of our democracy and moral fibre. There is however something fishy about the DA’s latest gimmick on this issue.”

Steytler said the campaign was commendable since it included many sectors in finding solutions. But the Institute of Race Relations wanted it to include the police and politicians – those with “political will” and “citizens’ safety in their hands”.

Without policy reforms that created jobs, improved access to education and empowered citizens, racial tension would continue. Through these reforms the equality gap would start to close, leading to less frustration, tension and anger, which were expressed as racial incidents.

I’M NOT SURE THAT THE CAMPAIGN GOES FAR ENOUGH. I FEAR (IT) IS A SELFSERVING, BOXTICKING EXERCISE THAT WILL NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE