Our rainbow nation, of course. Love it, hate it, weep over it, the fact of the matter is that most South Africans' emotions run high — one way or the other — when it comes to the multitude of dysfunctional social problems in this beautiful country of ours.
And while we otherwise may have little in common with each other, we all have a vested interest in the well-being of our country — if only because our own well-being is closely tied to it.
That's why ZA Difference is a demography-breaker, an LSM defier that cuts across all social strata and lifestyle segmentations to address South Africans of all races and from all walks of life … the only necessary common threads being literacy and a passionate interest in ourselves and our country.
Following are some stereotypical "snapshots" of the people who may be reading ZA Difference — for very different reasons.
Don't get offended, OK? None of us are the stereotypes described here. Take a deep breath, smile, cross the divide and recognise that we are all just human.
OLD-SCHOOL HISTORICALLY
ADVANTAGED PEOPLE
Mostly white South Africans who believe, deep down, that the ending of apartheid was a mistake. They used to blame the victims of poverty for lack of incentive, lack of willpower, laziness, stupidity and all the stereotypes that are attached to people who are marginalised — until their own joined the ranks of the poor. Now they blame the government. more »
They have benefi ted enormously from the "white affirmative action" of apartheid, but they are oblivious to this fact. They believe in their intrinsic mental and intellectual superiority and they look down on other races. They believe that they earned what they have (or had) only because of hard work. They have little or no idea of how apartheid made it possible for them to achieve what they did.
They have access to quality employment, health care, services, information and opportunities — even when they consider themselves poor. Their jobs are still protected by a circle of their own: like-minded family and friends. They may be affluent or not, but they live lives of privileged entitlement: they demand and expect to get what they want.
They believe that they are the only victims of crime in South Africa when, in reality, they simply have the platforms and means to make their cases known ... remaining ignorant of how the majority of South Africans are affected by crime.
They have stereotypical ideas of what black people are like. They are scared of them and afraid of the "unknown". They would find it inconceivable to visit a township, let alone an informal settlement. They are ignorant about what life is really like for people on the other side of the divide and believe that their own poor are the only people who are suffering.
They are negatively critical of the government. They regard the policies of the present government as reverse apartheid. They and their children are negative about prospects in South Africa, invariably believe that the situation is hopeless, and would leave the country if they could.
LIBERAL HISTORICALLY ADVANTAGED PEOPLE
White South Africans who believe that apartheid was an iniquity that marred our economic development, scarred a lot of people, divided a nation and left us with horrible problems. They are saddened by the past and want to see our country change and heal. more »
They may be affluent or not, but they live lives of privileged entitlement because they know no other way of living. They would like to cross the divide, find people on the other side of the railway line to start a conversation with, visit the township without fear, invite people of colour to their homes. They are relatively conscious of what life is really like for those who are marginalised.
They are, on the whole, critical, but positive about prospects in South Africa. They would like to help make a difference, but don't quite know what, where or how.
OLDER GENERATION RETURNED EXPATRIATES
They are mostly Black, Indian and Coloured: former freedom fighters and returned political exiles. They are worldly-wise, experienced and sophisticated — even if not formally educated. more »
They are politicised and angry about white entitlement, superiority, bigotry, racism, condescension and lack of knowledge about the rest of society. They are intimately familiar with the plight of their own people.
They stand "accused" by the people who were left behind and who, as a result, did not get access to education and freedom earlier in their lives.
YOUNGER GENERATION — CHILDREN OF FORMER POLITICAL EXILES
They are young, well educated, well read and well travelled. They are at ease engaging outside familiar racial / cultural boundaries and have diverse social circles. more »
Many are leaving South Africa because of frustrations with crime, discrimination and lack of opportunities for meaningful participation.
They are politicised. They are annoyed by white entitlement, condescension and the automatic assumption that black equates poverty and lack of education.
They may not really understand the true depth of the plight of marginalised people in South Africa, because they did not grow up here.
THOSE WHO STAYED BEHIND, BUT GOT EDUCATED IN SPITE OF APARTHEID
Black professionals — the lucky few who made up apartheid's quota of black people who were allowed to get an education. more »
They are intimately familiar with the plight of their own people. Many are involved with volunteer work trying to make a difference through faith-based or community-based organisations. Most are supporting extended, marginalised families.
They are not necessarily politicised and are often accepting of the status quo.
In spite of their qualifications, there is a self-imposed and historically imposed "glass ceiling" of limitation beyond which many find it difficult to move — especially in the presence of white professionals.
EDUCATED, YOUNGER GENERATION
PEOPLE OF COLOUR WHO WERE RAISED
IN SOUTH AFRICA
They are the new generation of young people who have access to education and other post-apartheid opportunities. They struggled and rose out of terrible disadvantage to achieve their dreams. more »
Many are paying off student loans. Most are supporting extended families. They are intimately familiar with the plight of their own people: they mostly come from there. They are positive, hopeful and want to make a difference to help those who are left behind.
They are angered by the automatic assumptions of many white people that black equates poverty and marginalisation. They are often not treated as professional equals by whites in the workplace.
Even if not completely at ease, they are eager to engage outside familiar racial / cultural boundaries. They aspire to an affluent lifestyle and are, understandably, often absorbed by the acquisition of status symbols — cars, gadgets, fashions — things to set them apart from those still trapped by the legacy of apartheid.
THE UNCLASSIFIABLES
The large group of South Africans (and foreigners) that transcends stereotypical categories. This group is comprised of people from all economic and racial backgrounds. more »
Many are involved in social transformation work in government departments, international and local aid organisations and charities, community and faith-based organisations, as well as corporate social investment projects. Many are social activists, academics and social change agents. But many are ordinary people ... mothers, teachers, ministers, business people ... who believe that a better world for all is possible.
Also in this group are many of the younger generation who have had the privilege of discovering the common humanity of people from all races with whom they go to school. They don't see colour. They see people. They don't know about the pain and division caused by apartheid and they frankly don't care. They just want to get on with their lives and participate in a world that works.
They don't want to be punished for the sins of their fathers, nor do they want to carry the labels of their fathers.
EMERGING HISTORICALLY
DISADVANTAGED SOUTH AFRICANS
They are mostly black people, skilled blue-collar workers and artisans, new to the South African workforce. more »
They struggle to make ends meet. A large proportion of their salaries are for family maintenance responsibilities. Many are supporting extended families.
They are very familiar with limited access to services. They are frustrated with unfulfilled promises made by NGOs and government departments.They are intimately familiar with the complex challenges faced by black communities and they are very affected by crime. They are willing to contribute in any way possible to help make things better.
On the whole, they have little decision-making power in the world of work.
They are trying to move away from what has held them back in the past … desperately trying to hide the other reality in their lives: the reality not known or shared by white people. They often spend disproportionate amounts of money on clothes, shoes, handbags, jewellery, accessories and cars in order to "keep up appearances."
They sometimes have a sense of entitlement, a culture of "the world owes me. That "world" being the government — because of its promises — and especially white people — because of the history of apartheid and because white people are perceived as being rich.
HISTORICALLY ADVANTAGED BLUE-
COLLAR SOUTH AFRICANS
White blue-collar workers and artisans, who took for granted the affirmative protection afforded them by apartheid, who now have to compete for jobs and services against people who were previously excluded from meaningful participation in the formal economy. more »
They struggle to make ends meet. A large proportion of their salaries are for family maintenance responsibilities. Many, but not all, are now supporting unemployed members of their family.
Many are resentful of black people taking "their" jobs, because they believe they are better than black people.
They still have a say at their places of work by virtue of their skin colour and familial connections. They aspire and feel entitled to an affluent lifestyle.
MARGINALISED SOUTH AFRICANS
The millions of poor South Africans who live lives of quiet desperation — who would like their story told, understood and acted on, and who would like to find practical solutions to their problems. more »
The many South Africans who have given up hope of ever bridging the widening chasm that divides South Africa.
They are mostly black and coloured, though increasing numbers of white people are joining the ranks of the marginalised.
People of all ages who are in positions of domestic responsibility. By definition this excludes children and teenagers, but in reality this includes children left to fend for themselves and their siblings.
They are unemployed or employed in menial jobs, homeless or living in poverty in townships, informal settlements, city centres and rural areas.
They are affected by all the social ills associated with poverty and marginalisation, such as alcohol and substance abuse, illiteracy, malnutrition, prostitution and neglect.
They have little access to information and are often unaware of the extent of social programming initiatives and other support services available to them.
They are unable to participate in the formal economy for a variety of reasons such as lack of education and skills, transportation, money, confidence, knowhow and, simply, lack of precedent. Ill health, disability and old-age may also prevent them from active participation.
They, too, have a sense of entitlement, a culture of "the world owes me." That "world" being the government — because of its promises — and especially white people — because of the history of apartheid and because white people are perceived as being rich.
They are frustrated, skeptical and wary because of what they perceive as unfulfilled development promises made by aid organisations and the government.
They believe that the government doesn't care about them.
They are illiterate, semi-literate or literate, mostly uneducated, and they have little disposable income. What they do have is hard won ... or stolen ... and then spent on necessities.
Many are without hope.
