The Citizen (KZN)

SA’s unity no thanks to politicos

- Cliff Buchler

What’s the bet the majority of South Africans aren’t racist? In my pretty wide circle, there’s not a single instance these subjects rear their despicable heads. Okay, perhaps in jest, innocent of any malice.

See, political correctnes­s propagated by the hypocritic­al fringe doesn’t feature in our down-toearth lives. Someone who isn’t able to laugh at our absurditie­s is a humourless boor.

Luckily these killjoys are absent from my group which includes black, religious, Jewish, Indian and coloured folk from all walks of life.

Take the petrol jockeys whom I’ve come to know intimately. Always friendly and polite. But hey, I’m often the butt of jokes aimed at my white legs. And I give it back to them unashamedl­y.

One time I had to have air put into a kid’s soccer ball. The incident turned into a match played between the pumps. The players, surprised at my brilliant footwork, reckoned I’m Bafana Bafana material.

See, on the ground much of the racism of the past has been addressed by not only a new generation, but by a converted one.

We have learnt from the mistakes of the past and are getting on with healing the rift.

At least, that’s what’s happening in my circle, and I’m sure this is the case throughout the land.

The word racist only exists in the political arena. Politician­s keep it alive for selfish reasons. The ANC, helped by the idiotic Malemas, are the biggest culprits.

That’s why the irony of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appeal to the nation to unify. Hey? The nation is already unified as witnessed during the Springboks’ roadshow. What more proof does our beleaguere­d leader want?

All the nation now craves is for clean, competent governance. It’s tired of being stolen from. Tired of criminals getting away with murder. Tired of incompeten­t minsters – some of whom are suspected crooks. Tired of violent protests and gangs controllin­g the streets.

The groundswel­l of unity shown during the parade is hopefully a wake-up call to the president to do a Rassie Erasmus and select the best team and come up with a new game plan.

The nation has had a taste of victory and will now demand it.

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