Why is it that critics of the FBJ keep mum about the existance of other racially exclusive groups, such as the Afkikaners-only community of Orania?
By Madibeng Kgwete: posted on 28 February 2008
Pity the chairperson of the re-launched Forum for Black Journalists (FBJ) and political editor of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Eddie Makue.
The poor Makue found himself and his organisation at the receiving end of criticism following the exclusion of white journalists from the meeting of the FBJ where African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma was to deliver an exclusive address.
The choir of critics, made mostly by white journalists and members of the black media elite, have criticised the re-launch of the FBJ at a time when the country is supposed to be consolidating the gains made in racial tolerance.
Interviewed on SAfm recently, Makue apologised for the exclusion of white journalists from the said controversial meeting, saying he does not condone the alleged racial behaviour by members of his organisation, directed at white journalists at the beginning of the meeting.
The most influential voices in our media, including the likes of Max Du Preez and several newspaper editors, seem to agree that the country does not need a racially exclusive club of journalists. There are two main arguments against such a club.
Firstly, it is argued, as Du Preez does in his article, “Welcome the world’s first jellyfish president” (The Star, 28 February), that the club will promote “racial exclusion”.
Du Preez dismissed the FBJ on the grounds that its members “feel so insecure and inferior about their own abilities that they have to go and seek solace in a racially exclusive little club.” Other critics of the FBJ share similar views.
The second argument upon which the FBJ is criticised is that its members, by allowing Zuma to deliver an exclusive address to them, have voluntarily submitted themselves for political indoctrination.
Both arguments against the re-launch of the FBJ ignore the fact that other racially-exclusive clubs are allowed to operate without condemnation. Such clubs include the Jewish Board of Deputies, the Afri Forum and the Black Lawyers’ Association.
Members of the FBJ, including its chairperson Makue, must learn to stand their ground and continue to build the club so that the matters it was formed to focus on are given necessary attention.
Racism against black people is a global phenomenon and black people must organise themselves to tackle this. Blacks may be the majority in Africa, but, on a global scale, the black race is a minority race. The black race is also an underdog race.
Anywhere you go, from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, New Zealand, Australia, black people find themselves having to assert the fact that they too are human beings and deserve to live under conditions similar to those accorded to other races.
South Africa must give the FBJ a chance to re-launch and concentrate on matters that its members believe are of particular concern to its members.
In the free country we live in, no one stops white journalists from forming their own Forum for White Journalists, as proposed by Cliff Saunders in his letter, “Forum for White Journalists has much to talk about” (The Star, 27 February).
I’d like the critics of the FBJ to explain why the country must reject the blacks-only forum whilst the same country remains silent about (and at times even celebrate) the Afrikaners-only community of Orania.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Fairness must pravail when analysing Mbeki
By Madibeng Kgwete: posted on 27 February 2008
In his letter, “Bye Mbeki, it’s time to admit defeat,” (The Star, February 20, 2008), Dr. Lucan Ntyintyane makes a number of unfounded generalisations that should not go without some rebuffing.
According to Dr. Tyintyane, “in the eyes of the public, [President Thabo Mbeki] has lost all credibility”.
Mbeki may have lost some credibility over the years, but Dr. Ntyintyane elevates doom-saying to new heights when he refers to President Mbeki’s loss of “all credibility”.
Ntyintyane goes on to claim that “South Africa is in a state of paralysis and confusion.” You wonder what paralysis the good doctor is talking about.
The country may be going through tough times, particularly in view of the recent power outrages; but talk of the country being in “a state of paralysis” is dishonest.
It is wrong for Dr. Ntyintyane to call for President Mbeki “to say goodbye” just a year before the country elects a new government, including a new president.
It’s not clear whether Dr. Ntyintyane is a medical doctor, a PhD or a traditional doctor, but his sweeping generalisations, most of which are baseless, cheapens the doctor title attached to his name.
Much as we’d like to review Mbeki’s legacy in his final months in office, we must also acknowledge the many achievements the country has seen under his stewardship.
In his letter, “Bye Mbeki, it’s time to admit defeat,” (The Star, February 20, 2008), Dr. Lucan Ntyintyane makes a number of unfounded generalisations that should not go without some rebuffing.
According to Dr. Tyintyane, “in the eyes of the public, [President Thabo Mbeki] has lost all credibility”.
Mbeki may have lost some credibility over the years, but Dr. Ntyintyane elevates doom-saying to new heights when he refers to President Mbeki’s loss of “all credibility”.
Ntyintyane goes on to claim that “South Africa is in a state of paralysis and confusion.” You wonder what paralysis the good doctor is talking about.
The country may be going through tough times, particularly in view of the recent power outrages; but talk of the country being in “a state of paralysis” is dishonest.
It is wrong for Dr. Ntyintyane to call for President Mbeki “to say goodbye” just a year before the country elects a new government, including a new president.
It’s not clear whether Dr. Ntyintyane is a medical doctor, a PhD or a traditional doctor, but his sweeping generalisations, most of which are baseless, cheapens the doctor title attached to his name.
Much as we’d like to review Mbeki’s legacy in his final months in office, we must also acknowledge the many achievements the country has seen under his stewardship.
- An edited copy of this article appeared in The Star newspaper on 26 February 2008 under the headline, "'Discredited' Mbeki not all that bad'.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Complacency behind our failure in Ghana
By Madibeng Kgwete: posted on 03 February 2008
It is easy to blame the team of soccer players and administrators for the pathetic performance that Bafana Bafana displayed at the MTN Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. A deeper analysis of possible reasons why our national soccer team fails may reveal interesting points.
Firstly, we (and “we” refers to South Africans in general, not just Bafana Bafana) lack a sense of patriotism. We don’t seem to care about national pride. Only a handful of us seem to have some pride in our country.
South Africa is the biggest economy on the African continent and, since 1994 up to this day, remains arguably the most politically stable African country. The overall performance of our economy makes South Africa almost incomparable to any country in Africa.
South Africa is the shining light in a continent plagued by political instabilities, hunger, diseases, etc. Even the gravest of our concerns, such as the high crime wave and the spread of the HIV and Aids pandemic, seem to be nothing as compared to the many other challenges facing fellow Africans outside our borders.
You’d expect a country that is so successful to provide leadership even in the field of sports. But how do our national sports teams, with the exception of rugby and cricket (which are predominantly white sports) fare as compared to other national teams from the rest of Africa? Pathetic!
Do we not have the talent? I think we have. Do we not have the facilities to develop such talent? Of course we do have. The only thing we do not have is a competitive attitude and pride in our country. Complacency is the root cause of our failure.
It is easy to blame the team of soccer players and administrators for the pathetic performance that Bafana Bafana displayed at the MTN Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. A deeper analysis of possible reasons why our national soccer team fails may reveal interesting points.
Firstly, we (and “we” refers to South Africans in general, not just Bafana Bafana) lack a sense of patriotism. We don’t seem to care about national pride. Only a handful of us seem to have some pride in our country.
South Africa is the biggest economy on the African continent and, since 1994 up to this day, remains arguably the most politically stable African country. The overall performance of our economy makes South Africa almost incomparable to any country in Africa.
South Africa is the shining light in a continent plagued by political instabilities, hunger, diseases, etc. Even the gravest of our concerns, such as the high crime wave and the spread of the HIV and Aids pandemic, seem to be nothing as compared to the many other challenges facing fellow Africans outside our borders.
You’d expect a country that is so successful to provide leadership even in the field of sports. But how do our national sports teams, with the exception of rugby and cricket (which are predominantly white sports) fare as compared to other national teams from the rest of Africa? Pathetic!
Do we not have the talent? I think we have. Do we not have the facilities to develop such talent? Of course we do have. The only thing we do not have is a competitive attitude and pride in our country. Complacency is the root cause of our failure.
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