LIGHT YOUR BRAAIS, YOU’VE EARNED THE RIGHT

SOUTH Africans are preparing for another long weekend today, thanks to perhaps one of the least politically or religiously themed public holidays of them all.

On Monday, we’ll celebrate Heritage Day, a catch-all term for a free day off that is so devoid of meaning or context that it almost immediately became re-dubbed national braai day, sparking howls of derision from the purists.

The truth of the matter, though, is that as a still-young nation forged from an incredibly diverse bunch of people of different faiths, cultures, classes and, yes, races, the braai, barbecue or shisa nyama is probably the one thing that’s common to us all.

And we are a nation. A rowdy, robust and often fractious nation to be sure, but one that can withstand the depredations of a feral kleptocrat in the Union Buildings and the racepreneuers at the hustings trying to drive us apart, aided and abetted almost every week by unabashed racist idiots with an unimaginable predilection for social media.

The latest spouter of racist filth, Kessie Nair, was arrested and appeared in court this week for crimen injuria and blamed depression for his rant against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

It’s nonsense and has to be seen as such.

There is no excuse for racism and the only way to eradicate it is to punish the perpetrators. Nair won’t be the last racist in the dock, but dealing with him as harshly as say Vicky Momberg will certainly discourage others.

But we must also understand the truth that the haters are in a minority. The vast majority of us, irrespective of our apparent differences, actually love being South Africans, really appreciate our fellow citizens and wouldn’t live anywhere else.

So, on Monday, light your braais and enjoy the uniqueness of being a South African. You’ve earned that right.