Residual racism needs a solution – not political point scoring
25 January 2016
Congress of the People urges the ruling party to exercise restraint and to act with utmost responsibility in respect of the mounting racial tension in our country. The ruling party and all political parties must studiously address racism and racial friction, not use it to canvass electoral support.
The Sparrow incident, in particular, has thrown up a challenge for all to do our utmost to defeat racism, not thrive from it. Condemning racism is much less important than conquering racism through moral, informed and inspiring leadership.
Congress of the People roundly condemns political parties wanting to make capital of racism. In as much as racists need a dressing down, criticism must also apply to political parties for their own failures to do lead South Africans to a new conceptualisation of commonality and universality. Political parties must never reinvent apartheid nor seek to vilify other race groups because of residual racist inclinations and tendencies.
COPE will always embraces the ideal of a non-racial South Africa where everyone respects everyone else without reservation. We are quite certain that the majority of South Africans share our vision.