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Racist, Racist South Africa - SACSIS
Racist, Racist South Africa - SACSIS
za
http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/1416#.UEnIJMXU2VA.twitter
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07/09/2012 14:03
http://sacsis.org.za/site/article/1416#.UEnIJMXU2VA.twitter
The danger is that, in this recessionary period, organised responses to intensifying racism may not be guided by anti-racist principles: that is, principles that seek to make race thinking disappear entirely by creating the basis for a truly non-racial society, rather than the cosmetic one South Africa has now. The rise of Julius Malema has shown that South Africa is still capable of a rightward shift towards re-racialised, even proto-fascist politics, and a racial backlash along these lines is entirely possible. If this shift happens then South Africas dream of a non-racial society will be shattered, and the country could descend into a spiral of strife that it may not be able to emerge from very easily. This is why racists need to think very, very deeply before speaking; blog by blog, tweet by tweet, they are courting disaster for themselves, and for the country as a whole. It is important to note, though, that white people are not the only racists in South Africa, and many whites are decidedly anti-racist. But whites remain the most vocal culprits because they command inordinate amounts of social, cultural and economic capital. Racism must be fought at every turn, and racists must be named and shamed. It is tempting simply to ban public displays of racism, but this will not make racist attitudes go away. It is better for South Africa to realise just how sick it is. Whites need to start accepting some harsh realities. Most importantly, whites need to realise that the countrys social inequalities expressed most starkly in the massive wage gap between the Lonmin managers and workers are unsustainable. Whites will need to start sharing their wealth, if they are to continue to have a future in this country. Admittedly, they are unlikely to do so without a fight, but as the unfolding events at Lonmin and other mines suggest, that fight has already begun.
Professor Duncan is Highway Africa Chair of Media and Information Society, School of Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University.
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07/09/2012 14:03