DAVID NIMMO

Racism:

I live in a country with a history of racism. In fact, we are still locked into a mindset where racist viewpoints are prevalent everywhere. Our polititians may deny it, but our politics is still dominated by race - although coruption and self enrichment are sadly a growing reality. Even the church that most people attend would be chosen according to a racial profile. The same can be said for the schools we send our children to.

On this holiday, that my family and I have just returned from I overheared a man saying that it is the first time that he has encountered lifeguards that are black. His comment was that if his daughter drowned and was in need of mouth to mouth in order to save her life, he thinks he would prefer that his daughter die than to be touched by a black man.

I am still dismayed (but not surprized) by this attitude. The history of our country is filled with hatred, violence, propaganda and injustice. White people are still many, many times richer on average than black people. The majority of our country has waited patiently formany years for the situation to change - and very little has.

The truth is that there is a growing anger and frustration amongst those who are unable to reap any benefits from the New South Africa. In my opinion this anger is justified and understandable. the question we need to ask ourselves is who is to blame for this problem.

In my opinion there is no doubt that aparthied carries a lot of the blame, but the failure of the government to adequately and efficiently redistribute land and the other means of production must also carry part of the blame.

Almost 20 years into the rule of the ANC and the average South African has made very little socio-economic progress. ANC leaders and the few in their circle of friends have made millions for themselves, but the poor have gotten even poorer.

Yet, I believe, because of ignorant racism people like the father I overheard, it will always be easy for the masses of this country to blame the attitudes of the whites for our continuing problems. When the anger does translate into action and those perceived to be the root of the problem are targeted, then those who cling to their imagined racial superiority will have brought upon themselves and their families the wrath that could have been shared by those who have perpetuated the poverty of the masses.

I pray that God would guide us to a better and more Jesus like understanding of meeting each others needs in order to build a better society.