No 'non-racialism' without whites

Few people know that the ANC has, traditionally, not always accepted whites — formerly known as Europeans — to be members of The Party. This only happened in 1985.

The non-racial efforts to create a democratic and just society where Africans will be bosses forever continues. In fact, it gained momentum, slightly, when Nelson Mandela stepped down as leader of The Party and president of the new South African republic.

The last ten years under former president Thabo Mbeki have been an important era in the evolution towards non-racialism. What Mbeki did was to initiate a political programme to confront white hegemony of thought, economic control and land possession.
It did not make him very popular to espouse the “The Nations Theory — one rich and white, another black and poor” but this was to propel the movement towards non-racialism.

Now that he is gone, we can see that he achieved much towards that end even if non-racialism remains a very slow process. Most non-racial whites on the side of poor Africans agree that there is a great need to build inter-racial bridges. As such, they understand and support the transformative programme of historical redress and cultural liberation for Africans.

These patriots know that there is no need to contest transformation as part of the effort to level the playing field. In fact, they know that transformation will only take place when whites do away with their exclusive organisations, open up their corporate structures, learn an African language, allow their daughters to marry Africans, attend celebrations of national holidays, participate in political discourse and allow the flourishing of Pan-Africanist thinking, of which they are part.

Doing such is understood and accepted as an act of breaking with an apartheid past and exorcising the demons of racism. This is what constitutes true liberation for whites. It is truly a commendable thing that most whites are willing to do this for ‘non-racialism.’ What is heartening is that these patriots are willing to walk an extra mile, too. They are always willing to help Africans break from dependency and paternalism by not only paying for the education of African piccanins but now allow the maids and gardeners to be members of the family.

In fact, they do not allow them to sleep in some outside shack but make space in their homes and they eat from the same plates.
Sometimes they watch television programmes together.

Africans should desist from blaming whites and accusing them of racism when they have, willingly, broken from imperialist, racist perceptions and institutions, which do not form part of a non-racial society.

In fact, there are very few whites who hold two passports in South Africa today. They know that this country belongs to all who live in it — black and, especially, white.

A non-racial society is with us today. It happens simply because whites are doing their share. It will, of course, continue to be a complex process.

But there is a lot of hope and optimism that can be derived from the fact that whites have forged a partnership with the ruling party and, thus, are directly involved in this transformative programme.

In fact, there can be no peaceful, just and equal society without the willing participation of whites.

Whites must lead the non-racial revolution!