Cape Times writer Shannon Ebrahim of “Global Eye” must be measured as one of the best journalists in our nation. She is authentic in approach and has a candid global outlook. Ironically, it is her global outlook in “We are a nation in dangerous denial” March 3rd that needs reminding of our local milieu.
In current global politics there are two key conflicting undercurrents that remain mostly undeclared. Beyond the rhetoric, the latest push is about localized patriotism versus globalization. Many who claim to hold liberal values but support localized patriotism are deeply conflicted as the global media often define localized patriotism as political populisms / right wing activism or even as xenophobia. The debate often becomes a one-sided narrative of bigotry or a blame game minus genuine analysis.
Brexit, the rise of President Donald Trump, Le Pen in France etc. are all evidence of people pushing back to affirm their regional independence. While it is easy to construe all this activism as the last breath of a nationalistic dying horse, is this analogy seriously accurate? Example, while Ireland and Scotland mostly did not support Brexit, the English did, does this make the English xenophobic?
Xenophobia is obvious as it embodies the loathing of foreigners, the question that is rarely asked is, what is the agenda of those who support globalization and mass migration? Example since there are no full scale wars in Europe, why must the English accept millions of East Europeans in England?
Also, what has globalization really meant for the majority of ordinary people when considering the total impact of imported water from Italy or cheap plastic toys from China that fill up land-fills in Cape Town? Who besides the elite benefits from globalization, why are all the jobs in China? Why does China have an expected economic growth rate of 6.5% and we have rate of maybe 1%?
Also, it took the Muslims of Cape Town about 350 years to reach a population of 800 000. Within 20 years, there are 800 000 Nigerians in South Africa. While violence of any sort cannot be excused, why is the death of 20 Nigerians notable when 17 000 South Africans were also murdered in 2016?
Logic suggests that had locals supported Pan Africanism and mass migration into South Africa locals would vote for the PAC. Thus Pan Africanism died with the PAC as the party dwindles into oblivion.
Since I am neither for or against globalization or patriotism, what is vital is for our government to fulfill its mandate to the people of this nation. Provide opportunity, stop wasting taxpayer’s money and only allow people into the country that are a benefit to South Africa. Our leaders must stop pretending to have the answer to Africa’s problems when we cannot solve local problems.
Also, those who promote the globalization agenda and mass migration must consider why their opinion must be sacrosanct and why localized patriotism is always regarded with ethnic suspicion.
For more than 350 years South Africans have been divided along ethnic and class lines. Whose great idea was it to throw into the mix a few million foreigners and then expect, without any forward planning or investment into the material infrastructure whatsoever, that we will all just get along?
Cllr Yagyah Adams
Cape Muslim Congress