the quality of being fair and impartial.
“equity of treatment”
synonyms: fairness, fair-mindedness, justness, justice, equitableness, fair play; impartiality, even-handedness, lack of discrimination/bias/prejudice/bigotry, egalitarianism; honesty, integrity, rightness, rightfulness, rectitude, uprightness, righteousness, properness, decency, goodness, honourableness, scrupulousness, conscientiousness; reasonableness, sensibleness; disinterest, disinterestedness, neutrality, objectivity, balance, open-mindedness
Fast forward 23 years into South Africa’s freedom after the 1994 elections and have a look around the country.
The Freedom to vote and to be associated with whom you want and to have your say is enjoyed by all, nobody knows this better than the now President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma.
The freedom the People are enjoying now also ensures them that they openly express their frustration, not only towards him as a party leader, but also towards political parties, unions and civil movement groups in general, as there is equity among South Africans in this regard.
Sadly however this new found freedom didn’t buy equity in all things, only in some things.
There is still no equity when it comes to the millions of poor, or as Marx would have called them, the Have Not’s who are predominantly black South Africans.
As the roaring young lion of South African politics eloquently stated
“There can be no Freedom without Economic Freedom” – Julius Malema
For they are left to rot in the ever increasing lokasies without real hope to escape the generational poverty which was introduced with the formation of the Union and it’s need for and ever increasing cheap labor force which was then represented by the black populace of South Africa.
Very little has changed since the early 1900’s until now and this fact, is most arguably, the most important but also overlooked fact by millions in South Africa.
Many people, including a minority of white South Africans lately, are falling around trying to remedy the symptoms which the Rainbow Nation are experiencing today but failing to identify the true cause.
The lack of equity experienced by our fellow black South Africans which in turn creates breeding grounds for desensitized beings, hardly human anymore, who feel nothing for others because their value is estimated at very little or none by a system of control which values them as the cheap labor.
Because of this it is time that White South Africa must decided what their role will be in South Africa as a collective.
White South Africa has an obligation to their fellow black countrymen to hold Government accountable for the wastage of the tax money which was supposed to bring about equity in all things, not just in free speech and being able to vote.
Equity which was robbed of them when they encountered the colonialist capitalist which took South Africa by force.
White South Africa has an obligation to make sure that townships develop into safe neighborhoods with lively commerce which in turn would create sustainable income.
Some would argue otherwise, saying that they did what was expected of them, they gave up a percentage of their earnings to Government for this goal, they also paid VAT on items.
Others would say that they brought civilization to Africa with technological advancement and that bygones should be bygones and that we must just move forward, but how is that possible with such a massive weight which is embodied in the inequity of our fellow black South Africans holding us back?
Does white South Africa have enough common sense to take heed of the example Bouwer Bosch exhibited and get directly involved and acknowledging their contribution and gain and recognizing their privilege without trying to protect it, but to rather make sure that their privilege is not a privilege, but a norm for all?
Because now is the time that White South Africa must move in a consolidated effort to support their fellow black countrymen in achieving equity … or they must consider themselves casualties of war and try and do damage control.
I hope for the sake of our collective future as a Nation, that White South Africa wakes up and see that their part is not yet done.