Why harp on about oppression, when we have the vote?
I wish we had a common understanding of what comprised oppression and what “the struggle” was about, as well as what is implied by the phrase a luta continua.
There were two schools of thought. The first saw oppression as “deprivation”, being shut out of the comforts white people were enjoying, and that heavenly white world. The struggle was to pressure whites to accommodate black people in their world and on white people’s terms.
The second school of thought saw oppression as being handcuffed, being blocked from cultivating whatever potential black people had been endowed with. The struggle was to remove the barriers that held black people back from developing themselves and contributing to the advancement of the world.
Obviously it is difficult for the first school of thought to recognise freedom. Being allowed into the white world does not empower, it traps you in that psychology of being a stranger, not completely belonging.
It is this that makes the search for socalled racism in every corner appear to be “doing something”. That is what makes black people stagnate in moping about how bad white racism is.
Even if they have the vote, and can select people to run their affairs in a manner that empowers them, they still blame their woes on whites (who supposedly no longer have power).
Unfortunately those subscribing to the second school of thought appear to be in the minority in SA since they were rubbished in the early ’90s. They wanted negotiations on the new South African order to take place among people elected by the general population, not between invitees of the apartheid regime.
Black people are still caught up with the feeling of being oppressed by whites.
There is absolutely no self-confidence, no sign of “we are going to conquer the world”. Just endless “when is racism going to end?”.
The question “what is so-and-so doing?” is increasingly being asked about people and entities outside parliament. While things can be done outside parliament, what can be achieved through the government is much more farreaching. Our inability to see things from the same angle prevents us from mandating capable people to run our affairs.
Blind loyalty closes minds.
Kenosi Mosalakae, Houghton