Maybe SA’s increasing perception of Racism is a function of our legislature?

This past week in Port Elizabeth presented an ideal opportunity to see many sporting and cultural events. The Longhair and I had a packed week attending one rugby and two soccer matches at the NMB Stadium – on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, the Concert in Victoria Park on Saturday and the Kurt Darren show at the Boardwalk on Thursday.

Just for the record:

• We missed Antony and Cleopatra on Tuesday – Valentines day is for US and not to be shared with Romans and Egyptians who kill each other in the name of ‘love’.
• Jomo Cosmos did well to hold Kaizer Chiefs to an exciting 1-1 draw on Wednesday.
• Thursday with Kurt Darren was quite brilliant – my only gripe is; “Hey Kurt – lose the young dancers, they make you look a bit like a guy in a trench coat, offering sweeties outside Collegiate!”
• The Kings played a brilliant game on Friday to lose 38-13 to the Sharks.
• The Saturday evening Concert in Victoria Park was polished and slick as usual.
• CRD Libolo crushed Pirates 3-1 on Sunday afternoon in a highly entertaining game.
• We couldn’t make Wednesday’s Warriors 10 run defeat at St Georges Park, though.
• Neither were we up to riding out to Cannonville to watch the SPAR Redhouse River Mile on Sunday morning – just when are our City Fathers going to sort that damn Redhouse stretch of river out?

These many and varied events gave us an opportunity to observe Port Elizabethans at play and I must shamefully conclude that when I reflect on these events as if through the eyes of today’s money and vote grabbing politicians I have to conclude that we are still not sharing, experiencing or celebrating each others racial/cultural differences.

At the soccer it was difficult to see any white people. At Kurt Darren the opposite was true. The Rugby crowd was still predominantly white but the balance less so than at any of the other events. The Concert in Victoria Park was predominantly white.

Maybe the difference in colour at each of the events is a result of nurture? Each of our different racial groupings is exposed to different influences when growing up, are they not?

Brought up on and living the dream of the Rainbow Nation leads to a great sense of disquiet when one sees an almost complete dominance of one racial grouping at an event. Why do I get the sense that we were less critical of our differences and more integrated and tolerant of each other before the re-introduction of racial profiling in the form of BEE?

Although I do have a suggestion for the government meddlers obsessed with racial classification and ‘normalising’ society – Don’t reverse any present legislation that will allow us to return to the halcyon days just after 1994 when we were sharing and celebrating our unique South Africaness, rather divide us more and ensure that we will always vote and play along racial lines by introducing more legislation! Is it not easier to bring up a child bathed in fear of stepping out of line rather than bathed in love, tolerance and confidence?

I am thinking that a law restricting stadiums, entertainment venues, shops and the like to only sell goods and tickets according to a strict racial ratio will sort out this little problem our masters seem to have with properly reflecting our racial hegemony; Every hour these businesses will be required to see how many of each racial group have purchased items and then ensure that in next hour they only sell to racial groupings required to balance the ratio.

If necessary they will be required to offer deep discounts to attract the racial grouping required to balance the racial ratio.

At the end of the day this lack of reflection of a “normal society” in complete racial harmony could also just be a function of the huge income disparity that still exists today. After all the Soccer tickets were R40.00, Rugby tickets were R70.00 and tickets to the Concert in the Park and Kurt Darren were R80.00 and R135.00 respectively.

Now here is a suggestion for Pravin’s upcoming budget – raise a tax on all events and items bought predominantly by white people.

Why do our politicians continue to use the dominance of specific racial groups in the business, sporting and cultural hegemonies as proof positive of a racist and divisive society that needs to be fixed with legislation?

What do you think: Are we fixing our differences or are we creating another unequal society?

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE

Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.

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