Solidarity used the Christmas lull to score a quick victory over First National Bank by getting the bank to hastily and needlessly concede that a blacks-only bursary scheme it is operating is not entirely kosher. The compromise agreement is that the bursary scheme can remain provided that alternative schemes open to all race groups co-exist with this race specific one. This is utter nonsense. A good pragmatic response from FNB, perhaps, but one that betrays FNB's lack of appreciation for why a blacks-only bursary scheme is both acceptable and even necessary. By conceding the substance of Solidarity's argument, FNB thereby undercuts its own justification for the blacks-only scheme. This suggests that FNB's decision to launch such a bursary scheme - one for black employees' kids - was done for politically correct reasons rather than because of corporate social justice considerations. If it were the latter, then FNB would have - should have - resisted the badly thought through gripes from Solidarity.
It is worth revisiting the facts and understanding why I assert these opening claims about the matters.
FNB reportedly have a bursary scheme for employees' children attending primary school. The chief criteria are financial need (qualifying employees earn less than R100 000 per annum) AND race (qualifying employees are black African, Indian & coloured).
Solidarity - the country's anti-race bulldogs - object to the second criterion. They argue that race-specific bursary schemes of this kind are wrong on the premise that - and this bit is important, so note the wording - white children in primary schools did not benefit from Apartheid.
Does Solidarity's argument hold any water?
Not at all. It is an argument that is tired, tiring and sloppily thought through. The pervasiveness of this less-than-cogent logic in the anti-affirmative action camp beggars belief. It is equally tiring having to trot out (again) the right response - but that is necessary. So here goes.