Racism is still a serious social predicament of our time
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania strongly condemns what racism in all its form It must be chopped when ever it rears its ugly head. The action taken by the Dept. of Education in Free State to expel the Principal of Wilgehof Primary school is commendable.
This fellow refused to take action on two teachers who had posted photos on the wall of monkey alongside faces of African people. Flying the old Nationalist flag in the school premises.
What is at the root of racism in this country and elsewhere in the world? Israel has also passed Anti Infiltration law which authorises detention without trial of approximately 55000 Africans living in that country.
The bigger challenge facing this country is the whole fuss about being a rainbow nation.
That we are coloureds, blacks, indians, whites, pink whatever the situation. The PAC has all along been correct to advocate that we only have one race and that is human race. Unless that becomes part of our politics of education, this cancer will not go away. Education is not neutral it has to serve a defined purpose of the society. It must embody the universal values of honesty, love of truth, justice, sharing etc.
Unless we teach those values, it will continue to breed corrupt, liars and cheats, racists and all other social misfits.
The second core problem with racism in this country relate to power relations. As long as we have African people equated to poverty, landlessness, they will always be treated as nothing but servants by white people. They will continue to be subjected to ridicule and dangerous stereotypes, as a diseased people, lesser human beings, noisy and incapable of thinking.
Unless the inequalities which exist in this country are addressed as a matter of urgency and the land is restored to its rightful owners, the African people. Unless we have an education system which its purpose must be to make human beings leave better with other human beings.
Unless certain values are inculcated in the education system. Unless we stop this rainbow fuss and realise that we are all human beings who belong to one human race, we will always battle against the cancer of racism.
It is of paramount importance that issues like racism be openly discussed where the victims speak for themselves and what ought to be done rather than being claimed to be represented by those with little interest.
Izwe Lethu (Our Land/PAC slogan)
Bennet Joko the Deputy Secretary of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.
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