STOP THE HATE

carried out alongside education and awareness programmes on the repercussions of discrimination and dehumanisation, as this is the only way to truly change hearts and minds.

Working with the youth on issues of diversity is essential if we hope to have a brighter tomorrow. It is only by learning the lessons from our past that we can build a better future.

History has taught us that what begins with words often ends in action and that hate directed at one group does not end there.

Genocide and violence begin with dehumanising and “othering”. As we saw during the Holocaust, and on our continent in Rwanda in 1994, a society where people are called less than human creates a space where unspeakable atrocities can take place.

While it is crucial for us to distance ourselves from the outrageous comments of Sparrow, Khumalo and their kind, and to participate in initiatives that combat racism, it is also vital that each of us reflects on our bias and undergoes our own truth and reconciliation process.

Individuals from across racial, gender and religious lines sacrificed their lives in the struggle against apartheid and fought for a free South Africa.

It is now up to each of us to do all we can to shape this country into a land where unity in diversity is appreciated and dignity is afforded to all.

We must stand up in our own communities, workplaces and families – have the courage to call out a racist joke or sexist comment, speak up if someone is being treated unfairly and, in the words of Gandhi, be the change we wish to see in the world.

Amid the shouting of slurs and unhelpful reactions, an important, nuanced and reasoned conversation must be had about racism and tolerance in South Africa today.

If only we could all stop talking at, and start listening to, each other we might be able to move forward with a better understanding of perspectives, experiences and world views different from our own. We might even learn something new.

South Africa’s transition continues. We must speak out and stand up against all forms of intolerance, whether sexism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia or xenophobia.

Hate has no place in a country still healing from its wounds. If we build bridges between communities, respect our differences and celebrate our similarities, we can return to the fundamental principle of the Freedom Charter and ensure South Africa “belongs to all who live in it”.

Alana Baranov is a writer and social justice activist based in Durban. She is vice-president of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry and a member of the Steering Committee of the Hate Crimes Working Group.