A DIFFERENT STRUGLE

A Different Struggle

By Njabulo C. Bembe

During apartheid, the government used a system of divide and conquer. This involved splitting the different Black communities into Bantustans by virtue of their mother tongue. This was done because the Black people made up the majority of the population, therefore a united Black front would have been detrimental to White supremacy and White rule. However Black people were able to unite, under the brave and fearless liberation movements, to effectively deal a decisive blow to White rule, well only legally. It is common cause that white people, who at make up 10% of the population, still control the South African economy, and out earn their Black counterparts six to one. Democracy has given birth to the Black Middle Class, a term used to describe those that are successful, educated, above average working class black people. These are the people with disposable income to spend, brands are falling over themselves to stick their hands into their pockets. It is also because of these people, by no fault of their own, that White people are saying the process of redress has been completed, because some black people are able to live comfortably. My concern is not with what our former oppressors have to say, it is rather with the Black people that agree with them. Nothing makes the past struggle more meaningless than a Black person telling another that “my parents worked hard for this life, maybe if yours stopped blaming apartheid and did the same, they could also become successful.” That is complete dereliction of logic. To say that the millions of underprivileged Black South Africans are doing so out of their own accord, is to downplay over 300 years of colonization into nothingness. To elevate the Black Middle Class into a standard for black people, will only serve to divide the Black masses even further. Already fundamental principles like Black Consciousness have been lost in the pomp and ceremony of democracy, in the name of our beloved rainbow nation. This country can only realize this rainbow nation when the economy is firmly in the hands of Black people, and not only the illusion of economic emancipation that was sold to us in 1994. The struggle is far from over, thus to debate about who is a “better black” amongst each other will only serve to prolong it. Thus I believe let Black people unite, especially the youth, to ensure that we take a huge step in helping future Black generations grow up in their home country and be able to enjoy the benefits and privileges that was due to them from the moment their forefathers were born.