I wish I could start this story off by saying “not so long ago”… but
that would be very ignorant of me, for I am only 26 years old but yet my
life began long before that. The story of my life began in 1948.
It
was in that year that D.F. Malan implemented something that altered the
course of South Africa forever… It affected all ethnicities of this
beautiful country; it changed the lives of millions and would continue
to do so long after it was abolished. I am talking of course of
Apartheid. That name, "Apartheid", sigh… an Afrikaans name known all
across the globe, a name that represents oppression, torture, sadness
and so many other terrible things, a name that struck fear into the
hearts of millions for over half a century.
However… it is
also a name that has been used as an excuse for incompetence,
corruption, laziness and so many other terrible things. It’s a name that
has turned into an excuse, rather than a terrible mistake and most of
all… it’s a name that negatively portray the millions of white youth of
this country.
You see, this story is not your average
South African story… this story is one told without fear of reprimand,
without fear of consequence and mostly… without fear of being labeled a
racist.
The history books will show you that in 1994 this
country became a democratic nation; the international media will have
you believe that since then, all is well and thriving in this great
nation, that white and black are hand in hand dancing off into the
sunset… if this were only true.
There is saying that can sum up everything I want to say with regards to South Africa post 1994… it goes as follows:
“Sins of the Father”
Never
has a saying rung so true for a specific ethnicity in this country. You
see, since 1994 the white youth of this country have been punished for
crimes not committed by them, they have been accused of being
advantaged, being racists, being the oppressors and so many other
things. They also have to endure being discriminated against, being
labeled by an international community as narrow minded and selfish to
name a few.
The discrimination within this country has
become so unbearable that for millions of the white youth the only
option has been to immigrate and once that has been achieved, they have
to endure ridicule from the ill-informed international community.
Let me ask you this simple question:
If your father committed a crime, could you be held accountable for that crime if you had nothing to do with it?
I’m quite sure your answer would be “no”… so then please explain the following to me:
Why are we, as Young White South Africans:
• Labeled as Racists by fellow countrymen and people abroad?
• Blamed for Apartheid?
• Being discriminated against? (AA and BEE)
• Punished for something we had no control over?
• Not given a job if qualified?
• Told to leave the country because we don’t belong here?
I
would love for YOU to give us an explanation to the questions we pose…
YOU being the one that insult us and call us racists, yet no nothing
about us or our circumstances, YOU being the one that so quickly judge
us and blame us for Apartheid yet no nothing about the past and current
events in this country, YOU being the one that tell us that should deal
with discrimination because that is what the black man had to deal with
for over 50 years yet forget that we didn’t cause Apartheid. YOU being
the one that live in a peaceful crime free neighborhood overseas yet
tell us that we overreact when we say that 55 murders a day are too
much, YOU being the one that have luxuries in life yet attack us for
exposing the governments lack of interest for people that don’t even
have the basic necessities, YOU being the one with a nice comfortable
career yet tell us that we’re inconsiderate towards the less qualified
black men that got the job we applied for and lastly… YOU being the one
that tell us that we should leave the country because we are white and
therefore don’t belong in Africa
I am one of those Young White South Africans… and I want to tell you this:
I
was born in Africa; therefore I am African and have just as much a
right as any other Black-, Colored-, Indian- or Asian African to call
this land my home. I will not feel guilty for being a White South
African and I will definitely NOT apologise for Apartheid. I had no hand
in it and I, still to this day, don’t agree with it.
I am a White African… and I am Proud of it.
Regards.
Rendier Gouws
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