If only SA leaders were as devoted to their ‘subjects’
Regarding Jonathan Jansen’s Thursday diatribe on the queen in his column on September 15, I am an SA woman of 90 years, still in possession of my senses, and my memory is excellent too, except when looking for my glasses.
I clearly recall standing on the Donkin Reserve in my teens, with my parents and sisters, along with a huge crowd, mostly white, as we protested unsuccessfully against the removal of coloured people from the voters’ roll.
My family was not well off, but every evening my mother, who was English, had extra potatoes, bread, butter, gravy and coffee ready for a small group of young newspaper sellers.
She did this until she died and we never sent anyone away hungry.
She constantly instilled in us that “everyone deserves respect”.
Apparently, Jansen does not agree.
He should consider who had supported the anti-apartheid movement, who gave shelter to this country’s refugees, who cut sporting links and who proclaimed sanctions against SA. The British!
I admire the royals, with a few exceptions.
They do a tremendous job supporting and instituting many charities, not to mention how they affect the tourist trade.
Many of us who lived during World War 2 respected the king and queen, Elizabeth’s parents, for remaining in London during the Blitz.
The king refused to send his daughters to safety in Canada while his people were suffering.
Watching the television broadcasts last week, it was obvious that many of Elizabeth’s people of all races loved her deeply.
It was also interesting to see how many people of colour have senior positions in the British government, the armed forces, the civil service and the palace, and how many lined the route, bringing flowers and expressing their regard for her. The idea that the queen could have had political influence in dealing with apartheid is false.
She is a figurehead with no political power.
Influence? Possibly. But Jansen has no right to assume she was pro-apartheid.
According to all concerned, conversations between Elizabeth and her prime ministers were totally confidential, so how can he speculate on what was said?
Did he have a mole in the palace? I am a loyal South African, but I loved Elizabeth.
How I wish we could have a leader who is as devoted to his “subjects” as Elizabeth was to hers!
Africa has not had many good leaders unfortunately, though there must be many out there who could fill the role competently and honestly. Even the late Nelson Mandela, wonderful as he was, made the fatal mistake of rewarding his cadres with positions for which they were unqualified.
Then there was Thabo Mbeki’s disastrous Aids policy, and Jacob Zuma! Enough said.
Africa was not a peaceful paradise before the white men with dark hearts arrived, but that’s another story. God save us all, including the king.