Only one side of story seen

I HAVE to respond to the article, “Ashwin’s moment our story” (May 23) by Nwabisa Makunga, in which she makes statements about white racism, whether it is overt or insidious.

The article is about Ashwin Willemse’s walking out of the studio when he accuses his co-presenters of patronising him.

He then refers to the fact that they played in the apartheid era, a segregated era.

In explaining how Willemse’s conduct was justified, she concludes that it is “Willemse’s lived experience that determines the offence [of discrimination?], not [Nick] Mallett’s interpretation of his own actions”.

Her use of the word “offence” suggests that she has found Mallett guilty of a transgression even though SuperSport concluded that what gave rise to Willemse’s behaviour was not racial.

As she has done in the past, she again demonstrates her prejudices and failure to respect the legal principle of hearing both sides before making a judgment.

Her conviction that black people know when discrimination takes place and, by implication, are correct borders on kangaroo court behaviour.

It suggests that if a black person makes an accusation against a white person of discriminating against him or her, the white is guilty because “black people know when they are being discriminated against”.

Their lived experience is all that counts.

The accused is automatically guilty, just as she finds Mallett guilty of an offence. No need to hear both sides. That is kangaroo court mentality which is very disconcerting considering she is a deputy editor of The Herald.

One would expect better, but then again I will be accused of supremacist behaviour in criticising her, and by her own argument, I will automatically be guilty because she will know I am discriminating against her.

Her lived experience will determine that.

Applying her logic and arguments, whites do not stand a chance of defending themselves.

If you are white and accused by a black, you are guilty, come what may.

How sad that race relations have sunk to this level.

Norman Kemp, Port Elizabeth