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Did I benefit from Apartheid
Did I benefit from apartheid more than 20 years ago?
I grew up in a poor neighbourhood on the wrong side of the railway tracks. I am a white man aged 40+ and I ask out loud did I really benefit from apartheid as is now claimed?
Let me view this in perspective then.
We never had free schooling for one. My late father used to start walking 11 km to work every morning at 3am because we had no vehicle of our own and convenient mini bus taxi transport did not exist in the 70s.
I had no choice other to learn in school or have my bum beaten black and blue first at school then at home. We had to pay rent to a landlord as we could not afford our own house and RDP houses were not known then even if they were we would not qualify. As far as I recall nothing was free back then. My dad had no medical aid so even a trip to the dentist or doctor cost money.
We had to pay yearly school fees buy our own books and stationary uniforms etc. Everything back then was based on discipline and order. After finishing school I had to go the army for two years I had no choice either army or jail. In the army I learnt self respect how to properly make my own bed which I do till this day and polish my own shoes and not to let stuff lay around.
Then after getting my first very low paying job I started paying tax till this day. For housing I needed to take up a bond paying monthly till this day. If I calculate how much the bond has cost so far over the original price it comes to about ten times the value of the original bond so far.
I was never offered a RDP house or housing discount because I am white. In the place where I work I have now reached the ceiling and daily see young affirmative action employee’s rise before my very own eyes. I have no problem with that if it comes with the necessary experience and low and behold proper qualifications but stop asking me to come fix your mess every time you make a decision against better judgement because you can.
I never made the laws back then so why must I be held accountable for decisions that were made then?
I had no choice in following the law or go to prison it is that simple.
Now 20 years later all this gets thrown in my face. I cannot get another job because I am too white. I cannot get a higher paid position within the company because I am too white.
I have to have extra security installed and pay for an armed response company every month. My children dare not walk the streets alone not even from school let alone after dark. I need to pay for extra tutoring because what they learn in school these days will get them nowhere in a hurry.
So in essence then I have been paying and paying and paying for my right to live for my right to work. How is it then I am now being made a scapegoat and blamed for every single little aspect going wrong in society. Why is my job my home and my life under constant threat?
I am constantly reminded by JUJU that he will come and take my house etc .I pay lots of tax every single month yet have no say in anything. I am charged a huge fuel levy every time I need to put petrol in yet have no say in how and where that money should be spent. I pay VAT every time I go shopping. I pay rates and taxes municipal bills ridiculous electricity fees.
I am now going to be charged for driving on a public road. If all this is the benefit of apartheid to myself on top of having to take instructions from an affirmative action appointee with a university of fort hare diploma and with math and science qualifications equal to what I learnt in standard seven so be it I really must have benefited from apartheid not.
The simple rule we should all learn and apply in life nothing is for nothing and if it says it is its a lie. Go out and create your own destiny dont constantly try to sabotage and self enrich at the expense of others .And lastly stop playing the blame game.You will score no points at the end of the day. Work hard and pay your tax and tv license its the right thing to do.
