Racism lives, just subtly

ASHWIN Willemse’s comments and action on the SuperSport show elicited a response that was divided along racial lines, which can be easily understood if one looks at our unhappy history.

People of colour supported Willemse for his stance and saw him as their hero.

South Africa has removed apartheid laws from the statute books, but could not remove the subtle and covert forms of racism black people still have to endure 24 years into our democracy.

Whites, with the exception of a small minority, supported apartheid all their lives and were forced to grudgingly accept freedom, but this did not stop them from maintaining their racist attitude and behaviour towards people of colour in the workplace and social arena.

Willemse, in a well-planned manner, expressed in a few sentences what he had been subjected to as a player and as a presenter.

The racism he was referring to was extremely painful. It was not the Momberg-style, blatant, in-your-face type of racism, but the subtle and insidious type.

This type cannot be proved easily so it can be denied, and only the defenceless victim can feel its sting.

Willemse said he objected to being referred to as a quota player and one can understand why. He was regarded by one white sports commentator as the best wing at the time, who won accolades for his performance.

There can be little doubt that Willemse, being a confident person, tried to raise the issue behind closed doors with Saru. His concerns were probably dismissed with the typical refrain “he was being too sensitive”.

In the studio, the body language of his co-presenters was enough for him to infer that they spoke to him in the typical condescending manner that whites use freely when addressing people of colour, even if they are on the same level.

Willemse executed his action in a calm and collected way on air, to expose to the nation how people of colour are treated in this day and age in the world of rugby – and to put an end to it. It must have taken a lot of guts.

His action was the culmination of innuendos and subtle insults he had to endure over many years from his white teammates, as well as Saru’s indifference to his pain.

One can imagine the loneliness of players like him in the changerooms, and on tours, amid all the racial undertones.

DStv’s chief executive was naive to come on air and declare the issue had nothing to do with racism, assuming that the public are a bunch of morons.

Willemse’s statement that he was fed up with being referred to as a quota player and being patronised by his co-presenters was sufficient evidence.

What were people and a shallow presenter on Cape Talk expecting when they said they wanted proof of his assertions?

Did they expect Willemse to go back in time and mention names of the guilty? He had to grin and bear it. He waited for his moment, to the chagrin of his co-presenters and their followers.

People of colour lauded him because his comments resonated with their own experiences in the workplace, restaurants, shopping malls, holiday destinations and social gatherings, regardless of social status.

I have come across this type of behaviour on several occasions and I have addressed it without fear. I must admit, this was not pleasant, especially when I was on holiday with my family, paying the same money as everyone else.

Whites saw Willemse’s actions as insubordination. It must have come as a major shock, especially when the perpetrators were their heroes from the apartheid era.

What’s done cannot be undone.

It is patently clear that all is not well in rugby, and in the country, when it comes to racial attitudes.

Subtle racism cannot be dealt with by the law because it is so hard to prove, but so easily felt. We cannot pretend or deny that it exists.

I have come across many people who complained they are paid less or overlooked for promotion by white companies, and there was nothing they can do about it.

One insurance company had the gall to have separate toilets for staff after 1994.

Many told me they were applying for jobs overseas as they could not fight this blatant discrimination and saw no future for themselves with the companies to whom they’d given so much.

Willemse’s action will go down in history like Hector Pieterson’s brutal killing by the apartheid regime. It’s going to be a game changer in racial attitudes and behaviour.

The common response by whites on social media is blacks must move on after 24 years of democracy, or that they must blame the corrupt government for their plight.

The problem is in the private sector and social arena, where the government has no jurisdiction.

How coincidental that while we were having an acrimonious debate on racism in South Africa, Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, were uniting white and black cultures with the approval of the royal family, and to the delight of people across the globe.

It was more than than just a joyous celebration of two people in love; it was a powerful statement that it is time for the world to unite by shedding racial prejudice.

This is something that we all have to work hard at if we wish to live in peace and harmony in this country.