Many civilisations made contribution

WHILE esteemed commentator and writer Dr Duncan du Bois sees British colonialism from only one perspective, as the hallmark of civilisation and progress, he forgets there were many before the British and many after who contributed to humanity in various forms.

In Africa we had the Egyptians, who built the pyramids. We had the Mali dynasty. The Mali manuscripts still exist and were written before the British began writing.

King Shaka consolidated the people of Zululand and created the Zulu nation. Hardly a human rights champion, but he was as tough and as hard as could be until gunpowder and family rivalries overpowered their nation.

The San may have been before, but very little is documented.

In India you had the Indus Valley or Harappa civilisation, which for its time was known for urban planning, baked-brick houses, drainage systems, water supply and large non-residential buildings.

In KZN, the Natal veranda architecture owes more to the Indian bungalow and Asia (Zimbali type homes are more south Asian architecture) than British.

Ever seen a house in the UK with a veranda? Maybe the British or indentured labourers brought these concepts down, albeit in a rustic format.

China built the Great Wall, an engineering and logistical wonder.

In Spain, the only worthwhile tourist attractions are those of the Islamic era, which also took very good care of the Jews. Maimonides, the great Jewish scholar, was a product of Islamic Spain.

The wheel was invented in Mesopotamia/Iraq. And maybe Dunlop developed the pneumatic tyre we use today.

Our legal system in SA has more to do with Roman Dutch than British, and once Latin was an important subject. Progress was made by each era building on the previous.

The current issue around colonialism only praises the British, ignores their shortcomings and assumes no progress would have occalm, curred without them. Lots of other cultures and groups contributed to humanity, the living standards, lifestyles and human rights we enjoy today. MUHAMMAD OMAR Durban North