The letter “The injustice of black oppression” 29th May Sunday Argus by Sandile Mamela is valued and an incredibly brave contribution.
Sandile speaks truth and must be recognised for writing on a subject that most prefer to ignore. While Apartheid, colonialism and Slavery was a crime against humanity and God, there is much more than just the white and black narrative.
In the history of the South African people there are many untold tales that must be told, less it be forgotten. While the white oppressor versus black victim remains the stable diet of narrators, what have always fascinated me are those who worked in the background making evil systems work.
Example, while whites flourished under Apartheid, Bantustan leaders raked in billions of Rands. Yet the infrastructure that was to be built with the allocated monies never happened or has fallen apart.
While whites were cruel, so called black leaders always had a critical role to play to ensure that their own people remained ignorant and did not progress. Since Apartheid allowed Bantustan leaders to do as they please, most leaders could have used the opportunity to do many things, yet chose to do little.
Historically the African slave trade would not have been possible had African leaders not assisted in the program of slavery. Tribal wars amid Africans were often lucrative as the conquered tribe could be sold into slavery. Few writers want to engage in these truths as it does not gel with the status quo.
Besides white racism, the biggest problem to the progress of Africa has always been its leaders. Example, study the current African leaders and average their ages. It seems as if each one wants to hold on to authority until violently removed. Almost without exception, African leaders use their stay in power as opportunity to plunder and then ship the booty to their former colonial European banking accounts. The stolen wealth of Africa is seldom returned after the dictator is deposed and so the story continues. The wealth stolen in the past century is incalculable and could remove Africa from poverty.
Ironically Africa and its people can only be saved by two realities. The first is the pursued of holistic education and the second is the pursued of genuine justice at any cost.
Constitutional democracy, the protection of human rights and minorities and so on must follow.
When Africans learn to practice truth and justice, by God’s holy mercy we will achieve progress.
The atheistic tale, that the person, who dies with the most possessions, is the winner, is delusional.
Africans must realize that material progress alone is not the end all and be all. Africa requires a genuine and holistic spiritual, emotional, psychical and psychological etc renaissance.
This need for a developmental renaissance is reflected in Africans who burn universities, libraries, schools and so on. Building more will not help as the destructive mind-set exists and flourishes.
Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, there is danger. Where people are made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress and degrade them, no persons or property will be safe. Africans must remove the illness inside their souls.
Human progress is seldom automatic or inevitable. Every step toward justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress