This is a subject that has been on the minds of almost every coloured person in South Africa. Are we as coloured really classified as black in this country? I DON"T think so and I'll tell you why...
Let me start from the top. According to the new government since 1994, anyone who is not white, is black. Differentiation between Coloured, Indians, Darkie and whatever colour is out there no longer exists according to the constitution YET when it comes to BEE and Affirmative Action (AA) the laws clearly classify South Africans according to skin colour, race and geographical location. Doesn't that sound hypocritical? It sure does to me.
Now I'm not saying things based on what I heard from other people, but what I experienced myself in meetings held with officials from the Labour Department and an IT company I used to work for. This clear statement of differentiation happened twice at this company and I will now explain both incidents...
The first was when Labour Department officials came to inspect the company to see if they complied with BEE standards and AA laws. In the dapartment I was in we had about 10 coloureds, 3 blacks, 2 whites (one of them the department manager) and 2 Nigerians. Their conclusion?... we don't have enough black people in the department. When the manager asked if us as coloureds are not classified as black according to the constitution their response was flat and direct: NO. According to AA laws black is black, coloured is coloured, indian is indian and white is white...
Now how on earth can we have an Equal South African Constitution that has two laws saying two different things?
The second incident was when the company started retrenching employees. A meeting was held with the HR manager explaining the procedure to us. She also said that retrenchment will have to comply with Labour Laws and must comply with BEE and AA standards. According to her it would be done using the LIFO system (Last In First Out), but preference would be given in the following order according to AA standards:
· Females (all races)
· Black Males
· Coloured Males (this included indians)
· White Males
She also carried on stating that Education and Qualification will also be considered. But the example she gave was: "If for instance we have two qualified individuals, one of them white and the other black and the white guy has a Diploma in IT and the black guy has a Certificate in IT, the black guy would still be given preference".
What BULL-CRAP is that? No wonder our economy is going to the shits! the ony way we can really improve this economy is if we have the right person chosen for the job completely disregarding Race and skin colour.
The only way we will also have a truly Equal Country is if government makes away with racial classification completely.
So my conclusion: Are coloureds really classified as black in South Africa? HELL NO!
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It completely stinks. Racism and sexist policies are just that; Racist and Sexist. You dont punish others for the sins of the past. And creating injustice doesn't fix injustice it just creates more inequity.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the ANC I had high hopes for , the ANC who fought for justice. This is a racist,ugly ANC with no integrity, lacking vision, proving themselves too stupid to govern over the last 15 years. They have mismanaged the public service, damaged Eskom, destroyed the health system (don't believe the BS that it still functions, I know from bitter experience ). People are leaving, even black people off to New Zealand. Soon, Lord forbid, all who will be left are Mamela and some stupid chickens.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 1: when white people live in shacks - and not the ones they forceably removed black people from on Clifton - then we can forget the past.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 2: Is it really the governments job to take care of you? If you want the NZ government to take care of you, then by all means go.
Our government have to spread the health care, electricity, formal housing, social pensions, etc. which the apartheid government kept for only one part of the population.
Grow up and take care of your own welfare and let the government take care of those who were really ignored by the apartheid government.
Anonymous1 ....> Abigail,whether whites live in shacks or not, won't change your past, or make you forget it. In fact, the more shacks there are, the worse our future becomes. So let's not create more shacks. Remember, you are also somewhere in the pecking order of this perverted "affirmative action" queue. You can suffer directly too. Put it this way: Say you have a little money. or a car.You worked for it. One day you stop at a robot. A thief puts a gun to your head and carjacks you. Takes your car. Is that thief justified because previously somebody took away his car?
ReplyDeleteWhy do you assume I ~want~ the government to take care of me? And you are inconsistent in protecting some people's rights but denying others of those same rights. I hope you never end up in a public hospital, ill and destitute, 'cos then you will eat your words. I just wish the Anc government had good foresight, planned better, and smarter, instead of creating monumental cock-ups , like letting Eskom stagnate, racist inequity and crime chasing people away, and neglecting health. Should we pay substantially more tax for these services? Yes, I believe so, our people are in a desperate situation. Do I trust government to spend wisely? No. too much corruption going on.
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