by Rob Johnston
I usually agree with whatever Lorenzo Davids writes in his Another Voice column, but “The politics of second-hand clothes and cappuccinos in the Western Cape” (Cape Argus, August 23) seemed to be just another racist rant, rather than his usual considered points.
He implies that the 17% white population in Cape Town controls all the wealth and power, and that the 83% can't change it. Really??
In a democratic society, 83% will always win at the polling booth, and they didn't do it in the last elections, so that idea is wrong.
(At least he had the honesty to bring in the negative effect of the ANC cadre damage).
Another implication is that the 17% is the only group with wealth. Really??
Take a drive around Rylands, parts of Langa, and many others – that idea doesn't fly either.
The problem is that skin-colour politics is a cop-out solution to the many issues facing us – a more reasoned approach is needed if you really want reasons for poverty.
Try correlating “people in poverty” with “people who don't practise family planning”, for example; or “people in poverty” with “people who didn’t first check if jobs and houses were available before flooding into Cape Town".
The article may get the 83% cheering for you, if that’s what you want, but the race card is getting a bit worn in these enlightened times.
* Rob Johnston, Tokai.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Newspapers.
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