McKaiser’s mission is short-sighted

I wonder what makes Eusebius McKaiser the Mail & Guardian’s centre-page resident columnist. Is it his grasp of South Africa today? Is it his unilateral assessment of the forces at play (and interplay) in our land? Is it his impartialty? Is it his unhinged pursuit of white racists?

In his latest M&G article (“Bigotry will cost you, Ronnie”, July 28), as with his recent short-tempered Radio 702 programmes, McKaiser is back in his selective, well-worn groove. His modus operandi is a oneby-one identifying, ridiculing and warning of white racists — racist according to Justice McKaiser.

He is a man on a mission, a crusading vigilante, pronouncing judgment and inciting sentence. Look out, evildoers! Like the self-appointed superheroes of American mythology, McKaiser is all pomp and smugness, himself above reproach, a champion of the true and good.

“Bigotry will cost you, Ronnie,” says McKaiser ominously. He is addressing another white racist. Eusebius rallies the populace: “Call Ronnie out. Ostracise him. Don’t do business with him.” The dramatic technique of repeating Ronnie’s name shows McKaiser’s deep contempt for the man. (To be safe, perhaps Ronnie should give up his right to free speech, just for now.)

Jeff Rudin’s response (Letters, July 21) to McKaiser’s July 14 article “Honest confrontation is needed”, among others, helps to unravel McKaiser’s view as trapped in “race.” His petrified, facile distinctions of black/poor versus white/rich cannot do the job. He “anachronistically still sees only colour”, says Rudin.

Having recently dismissed two radio callers, McKaiser pronounces each one a “bloody agent”. But McKaiser’s fixation, selective blindness and leapfrogging in the past 23 years has served the Jacob Zuma camp — and Guptas — well. One is no less “a bloody agent” through selectivity and diversion. McKaiser may keep “Ronnie” out of a job, but he has helped to keep Zuma in his.