Dear All,
I would like to apologise to everybody for posting this a while after you, National Chairperson, posted your piece to raise a discussion around the question of “blacks” and the “non-whites.” I hope that such act will be pardoned and the views expressed herein will be received with interest by those who will read them. National Chairperson, I wish you had included the statistics of the black people who voted for and not for the ANC in 1994. I also wish you had the statistics of 1999, 2004 and 2009 to reflect the same demographics. Why do I say so, you might ask? Well, because then it would be possible for you to crystallise your point about the “non-whites.” (Yet again, perhaps it was not possible for you to obtain the statistics. Therefore I want to open my mind to the idea that you may have tried to obtain the statistics but you couldn’t.) It is not convincing that you attribute whatever change in voting patterns to the problem of non-whites. In your piece, you do put it correctly that there were non-whites prior 1994. I agree with you. But I disagree that those non-whites seemed to disappear or become a non-issue in 27 April 1994, and possibly in 1999. I am making this point because your piece seems to deface this group at that significant moment of our political history; the period of 1994 – 1999. Then you resuscitate them sometime towards the second phase of the 20 years of democratic rule, lambasting them for not being “vote loyal”. I have a feeling you have a good reason for doing this? I cannot see it in your piece, so please point it out to us. You also seem to imply, or suggest, that the people who would vote for DA (I agree with you that DA is not an alternative; opposition suits them best) are doing so because they are non-white. Are you saying that those who are voting for the ANC (and I hope you have noted the dynamics of collective and personal politics; the party of capitalists, nationalists, socialists and centrists) are the proudly black? Yes, Biko did clarify the phenomenon of “black” and “non-white” poignantly. So, if you, like Biko, say that being black is a question of mental attitude, why do you not find this mental attitude being practiced in totality – in a manner of speaking and actions – within the ANC? I argue that even within the ANC you do find a plethora of non-whites. There are black leaders within the ruling party who do not embrace the principle of black consciousness (I am not suggesting that they should embrace it; I am merely stating the obvious). Not only do you see this in their way of engaging with the black people; you can also see it in the way they serve the black people – selfish decisions, total disregard for black people’s dignity, scare tactics when those that are led criticise or protest, beating up of those who dare to stand up to, or contest the power base of, the “big boys.” If my understanding of black consciousness is anything to go by, then I am not comfortable accepting your simplistic view of what characterises a genuinely black versus a non-white. A person is not genuinely black because they voted ANC. The ANC is not being voted in by the genuinely black people only. What happened to that famous saying, “the ANC is a broad church?” The ANC itself is wrestling the tendencies of non-whites within its ranks. You see this in the party’s fight against the self-serving politics; the politics reminiscent of when the white colonialists were running the show. The self-pride of a black person – more so in the context of political leadership – reaches its satisfying qualification only if it goes beyond just the black leader’s pigmentation and political rhetoric; I contend that we look at a person’s blackness (if it is about mental attitude) on the basis of his intent, ability and persistence to treat themselves with pride and the black majority – whom he must serve - with the corresponding respect and dignity. Kudos on you for how you posit the question of the character of a non-white. But such people are found in every political party – including the ruling party. So for you to say that those who are voting for the DA are the exclusive non-whites pursuing “real power” (and maybe white life opulence) is not adequate given the absence of scientific evidence to support this claim on your part. Why do I get the feeling that you were just being emotional when you said The claim that many ‘Blacks’, ‘Indians’ and ‘Coloureds’ are finding an alternative home in parties like the DA must be refuted. And when you say, “Perhaps aspiring to ‘whiteness’ means aspiring to be the ‘real rulers’”. What do you mean? If the non-whites who are aspiring to ‘whiteness’ means aspiring to be the ‘real ruler’, then what becomes of the ANC? Is our ANC a ‘non-real ruler’? Please share your thoughts. Thank you for a well written piece. On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 11:45 AM, Tshidiso Nkhahle <[email protected]>wrote: > Well argued…congratulations and thanks, Our Own Dear Yershen!!! > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Mafika Damane Mndebele > *Sent:* 13 May 2011 11:38 AM > *To:* yclsa-eom-forum; yclsa-press > *Subject:* [YCLSA Discussion] The “Non – White” Vote > > > > *The “Non – White” Vote* > > > > In a paper produced for a SASO leadership training course in December 1971, > Steve Biko presents a definition of black consciousness and what it means to > be black. In his presentation, he emphasizes that “being black is not a > matter of pigmentation - being black is a reflection of a mental attitude.” > (Biko, 1971) He furthermore makes a distinction between ‘blacks’ and ‘non – > whites’ arguing that if one aspires to being ‘white’ espousing ‘white’ > values, principles, mannerisms and attitudes then that person is a ‘non – > white’. This could not be further from the truth in present day society. In > fact, had he been alive today, Biko would have certainly emphasized his > striking point that ‘non – whites’ do exist and will continue to exist for > quite along time to come. > > > > Like the ‘non – whites’ of yesteryear, the ‘non – whites’ of today feel no > association to the ANC and its alliance partners. Recent claims that voting > patterns amongst ‘black’ households are changing with the younger ‘black’ > generation choosing alternatives to the ANC led Alliance, if there even > exists such, is not exactly true, or may be contested if we follow Biko’s > conceptions of ‘black’ and ‘non – white’. Yes, ‘Black’ households are > becoming more critical of the ANC led Alliance but to suggest that this is > translating into the ballot is dubious. What could be mistaken for shifting > patterns in the ‘Black’ vote may actually be misconstrued for ‘non – whites’ > or a post 1994 breed of ‘non – whites’ now having the opportunity to > exercise their democratic right to vote. A democratic right that was fought > for and achieved by the very ANC led Alliance they detest. So the voting > patterns may not be necessarily be new or unique or shifting, it may just be > a new breed of ‘non – whites’ voting against the ANC led Alliance as their > predecessors did prior to 1994, well without the ballot back then. > > > > So you see, not much has changed. However, trying to understand why being > black is a reflection of a mental attitude in the current conjuncture may > lead us to class - based motivations rather then racial underpinnings. By > this we mean that perhaps as the General Secretary of the SACP, Cde. Blade > Nzimande pointed out in Parliament that ‘one can never understand where the > word ‘darkie’ comes from unless you grew up in the township’. Or perhaps > aspiring to be ‘white’ is associated with real wealth or control of the > wealth and resources of the country since the majority of our economy is > controlled by white monopoly capital. Perhaps aspiring to ‘whiteness’ means > aspiring to be the ‘real rulers’ knowing that those who control the wealth > are the real controllers of the State – white monopoly capital. > > > > The claim that many ‘Blacks’, ‘Indians’ and ‘Coloureds’ are finding an > alternative home in parties like the DA must be refuted. The truth is that > the DA has become a home for ‘whites’ and ‘non – whites’ not for ‘Blacks’, > ‘Indians’ and ‘Coloureds’ or progressive white democrats for that matter who > continue to find a home in the alliance. Let’s take the ‘Coloured’ > population in the Western Cape where the DA claims to have delivered. The > majority of the ‘Coloured’ population in the Western Cape which remains > predominantly poor and working class, have not benefitted at all. > Communities continue to be ravaged by alcohol and substance abuse, deepening > poverty and rising inequalities. In fact, some academics argue that Cape > Town is one of the most unequal cities in the world. So who have benefitted > from all that growth and prosperity that we’ve been hearing so much about? > The white madam and a few ‘non – whites’ of course. > > > > Falling prey to the propaganda of blaming the ANC for every problem in > society will blind us from the inevitable truth. Let’s take unemployment for > example, almost every academic agrees that unemployment in South Africa was > a problem since the 1970’s before the ANC came into power. The problems that > we face are not new or unique to the ANC led government. What we should be > doing is playing more of an active part in shaping the growth and prosperity > of our communities. This of course starts by going out to the ballot boxes > and voting, exercising that hard earned democratic right to vote. > > > > During an interview in 1968, Dr. Yusuf Dadoo, former Chairperson of the > South Communist Party, is confronted by a question on whether Indian people > in South Africa as a minority group would be no better off under African > rule then they are under white rule. Dr. Dadoo responds, “It is the argument > of agent provocateurs in our midst who deliberately try to provoke hostility > between African and Indian, African and Coloured, to convince each other > that their grievances are not the fault of the oppressors, but of another > oppressed group. It must be understood that the fundamental of the > liberation struggle is first and foremost the liberation of the African > people, and that it is unthinkable that there could be liberation without > African majority rule.” > > > > A South African “non – white” would never understand this. He or she could > never understand this. Why? Because it means that the white madam is not > necessarily always right, It means the white madam is not necessarily all – > knowing, It means the white madam is not always first in line, It means that > it is not only possible, but very much probable that a black democracy can > succeed and deliver a better life for all! > > > > I’m sure Dr. Dadoo would have been quite critical about the present day ANC > led government but like myself, I’m sure he would have voted it back into > power with the understanding that much more needs to be done and the issues > of the poor must be elevated to the top of the priority list. Why such > faith in the ANC led alliance you ask? Yes there may be challenges in the > ruling > party, but we have more opportunities now then our mothers and fathers had > prior to 1994. Whether we take those opportunities or not is a matter for > another discussion. Bottom line, I'd rather vote for the political party > that brought me freedom and sacrificed so much during the tough times then > the one that wants to benefit only when times are good. Why? Because I’m > black! > > > > Yershen Pillay > > YCLSA National Chairperson > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected]. > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to > put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to > this address (repeat): [email protected] . > -- Fusi M. Motaung Development & Process Facilitator MOROLO CONSULTANT tel: 0721207603 | fax: 0865482896 | e-mail: [email protected] -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
