Land for all of us
I HAVE voiced my concern about the lack of playing fields and facilities at our old coloured and black schools as compared to the previously advantaged white schools. Nothing has changed much, except that schools are now open and it’s now a case of a too little, too late scenario.
Twenty percent of the school population enjoyed 80% of pristine, grass playing fields, while the poorer, disadvantaged 80% of the population had the other 20% – dust patches.
The above is a typical example of the total inequality of land distribution and it is high time for the “playing fields to be levelled“, hence my support for Malema’s call for “land redistribution without vengeance”.
Our new president, who was seen as the saviour and darling of the nation, committed a big sin in the minds of some when he unexpectedly came out in support of Malema’s land deal.
These same people are now the forerunners in spreading fear and misinformation, hence a recent report emanating from Australia, where Minister of Home Affairs Peter Dutton, a rightwinger, came out on the side of these fearmongers, instead of having the decency to first speak with our government or our new, highly respected president.
To make matters worse, he came up with a disgusting, racist offer to fast-track visas for only “white farmers” on “humanitarian grounds” –at the same time spreading misinformation in the outside world and causing further disunity and distrust among South Africans.
For a moment I thought I was reading fake news.
My appeal to my fellow countrymen is to cool down and not to fret. We are a peace-loving country with peace-loving people, and Fadiel Adams said it well when Ala Starr challenged him on his Khoi heritage and his Muslim name. He explained how the Khoi rushed to embrace Islam at the hands of Sheikh Yusuf and his companions.
This good-bloodline DNA goes further down the line with the Mandelas, Tutus, Harouns, Bikos, Sisulus, Suzmans, Omars and thousands more.
Based on this solid foundation, our nation has too much to lose to believe that anybody will be unfairly dispossessed of their properties or forced to move Down Under. MO NOOR JOSEPH Crawford