More work needed on social cohesion

The untimely and regrettable method of clearing beachgoers from Clifton beach in Cape Town, by a private security company, and the subsequent comments made by some individuals regarding the distressing incident, has added to the long lists of discriminatory and bigotry statements South Africans have heard over the past year – 2018.

The Clifton beach fiasco has triggered different statements of racism to exclusion to exclusivity to class to blaming the police to political agendas, with many looking back to the apartheid-era ban legislation which prohibited non-whites from frequenting beaches set aside for whites.

Phrases such as “this is not your land” or “go back to your country” and other vulgar statements, are very worrying and it is something we hear a lot of these days. Such narrowminded language is disturbing because it does not aid nation building and slows down the healing process from our apartheid past.

Social ills such as classism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, genderbased violence, family disintegration, are some of the pressing social ills keeping us away from achieving a dignified life for all.

Therefore, I once again reiterate my request that the teaching of social justice topics in learning institutions, such as schools, is very important to deal with these social ills.

We need to work on building social cohesion and co-existence.