The Elephant

 

 

Let's address the rather large elephant in the room, shall we?

 

 

If you're reading this and you're a white South African, congratulations - you are privileged and have benefited from Apartheid. You know it, I know it and so does everyone else.

 

 

That's the plain and simple truth of it - yes, I know that many white people are not "rich" in comparison to many other people (take Julius Malema for one) but that doesn't mean that you're not privileged.

 

In comparison to the millions of people living below the poverty line in a country that is slowly being eaten by corruption; a sort of social ennui and simple complacency, to claim anything other than privilege is at best naive and at worst irresponsible.

 

No, not all Whites are evil and no, not all Blacks are poor. And no, not all Coloureds are marginalised (though that's a whole different story) and not all Indians are... well, I can't say that I know any generalisations about Indians.

 

Regardless, the fact remains that generalisations sometimes spring from at least a grain of truth.

 

Honesty

 

 

If we're honest with ourselves (and really, if we can't be honest on the internet, where can we be?), many Whites were flagrantly evil prior to 1994 (after which, many of them were simply scared of what might come) and if we stick to the theme of honesty, I don't think anyone could claim that the majority of Blacks weren't and aren't poor.

 

For the Whites

 

 

Speaking now to anyone White, South African and reading this, now's the bit that you probably won't enjoy.

 

With this imbalance in mind, what more is there for us to do? We pay our taxes, we pay VAT and we pay the exorbitant markup on petrol so that our roads are fixed - why should we be expected to do anything more? Who is Desmond Tutu to chastise us as a race for not doing enough to cure the country?

 

More complex than any of those questions are the feelings and opinions that start to bubble to the top in thee discussions - what Tutu referred to as justification.

 

"Well, I worked bloody hard to get where I am today, why can't they?"

 

"I already pay taxes, now I'll have to pay for the NHI - why should I do anything else?"

 

"How do I know it will be used properly?"

 

These are all valid in their own way but in a more worrying way, are the harbingers of certain doom in a nation. Social responsibility is for everyone, not just those who are in positions of power.

 

You worked hard to get where you are? Congratulations. Now work even harder to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to work as hard as you did.

 

You already pay taxes? Well, so do I. So do many millions of people who earn enough to pay tax. Know why those people you saw toyi-toying or shouting support for the ANCYL don't pay tax? Because 20% of nothing is still nothing.

 

How we you know funds will be used properly? What have you done to ensure that funds are used properly? Have you filed complaints? Have you joined an organisation? Formed a watchdog to monitor public funding?

There are so many ways in which you (as a privileged and educated member of society) can help to ensure that funds are properly managed - if not in the public sector then simply in this one, all-important fund.

 

 

As for there being nothing else that you can do, I put it to you that until you can walk into any informal settlement, grab a passing person (who is very, very likely to be considerably poorer than you) and genuinely say "I am doing my utmost to fix the problems in my country", there is still work for you to do!

 

Who is Desmond Tutu?

 

 

And if you're seriously asking "Who is Desmond Tutu to ask this of me?" - he's the man most likely to tell you the truth.

 

Every politician will lie to you in one way or another, telling you either that their administration is different or that money is being spent wisely (out the window of their brand new X5) but throughout the years of our country, Desmond Tutu has earned a distinct place of honour in South Africa.

 

He is (was?) respected by both sides of any debate and very few have ever accused him of trying to gain something for himself.

 

Don't lose the sense there is by now turning on him because he said something that makes you feel uncomfortable. Deep down, you know it's the truth - even if you don't want to admit it to yourself.

 

So what do we do?

 

 

We brainstorm. We come up with a way for the problems to be solved - and then we implement it. With enough safeguards and balances to satisfy the most paranoid of investors, this kind of fund could do a massive amount of good.

 

Failing that, come up with another idea - something that will help (even a little) to drag the country out of the state that it's in. This is a call to action and it's something that most people profess to want to do and let's do that instead (as well?)

 

If you are here, reading this and you honestly don't think that there's anything you should be doing to make your country a better place, perhaps you'd be happier somewhere else and well, you're welcome to go there anytime.

 

 

Lastly - don't take this as chastisement or even a mild rebuke. I invite you to comment, tell me where I'm wrong (I am, I'm sure) and give me something constructive.