FULANI ISSUE IN ELECTION 2016

Samia Bawumia, Ghana's 2nd lady hopeful

By Ekow Mensah

No matter how you look at it the Fulani question is an ethnic question and politicians who meddle in it could pay a huge price.

The issue has taken on a new dimension with the entry of Dr. Muhammad Bawamia into front line politics.

The point is that Dr. Bawamia is married to Samira Ramadan, who happens to have a Fulani background and some of his opponents think that it is fair game to harp on his wife’s ethnicity.

Interestingly, Samira’s father is Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan who has for more than 30 years played significant and leading roles in the politics of Ghana.

Alhaji Ramadan as National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC) hosted the very first meeting which led to the formation of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), partially credited for the victory of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2008 elections.

Alhaji Ramadan became a leading figure in the CJA, traveling across the length and breadth of the country delivering political sermons about how the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had failed to keep its promises.

Significantly, one of the sons of Alhaji Ramadan who worked in the ranks of the People’s National Party (PNP) and our Heritage Club is also a Parliamentary Candidate of NDC in Adenta.

Reference to Samira as a Fulani and therefore an alien who should not be commenting on Ghanaian political issues is most unfortunate and cannot be different from reference to Gas as coming from Yuroba land in Nigeria.

Samira may be shooting her mouth about issues she does not understand but it has got nothing to do with her Fulani origin.

Indeed the attack on Samira ought to be seen within the context of increasing bellicose talk as Ghana approaches election 2016 and the general discomfort with Fulani herdsmen whose activities are said to be destroying the livelihood of farmers across the country.

The fact of ethnicity being a very backward phenomenon in our politics does not change when attacks are launched on Samira Bawamia for just being Fulani.

The 2016 elections is increasingly becoming a platform for foul mouthed politicians to display their backwardness.

Last week, it was the turn of an aspiring Member of Parliament who displayed his wife and children at a rally and challenged Honorable Hannah Tetteh to produce her husband too.

Democracy is certainly about free speech but there are limitations imposed on free expression especially ranting which cause religious, ethnic, gender and other strife.

Editorial

TRUMP’S VICTORY

The people of the United States of America (USA) have spoken out loud and clear and their message is that they prefer Donald Trump as their leader for the next four years.

This is in spite of the fact that Donald Trump sounds very much like a racist and looks inward rather than outward.

Mr. Trump managed to annoy Muslims, frighten Latinos, threaten African Americans, worry Europeans and sow despair amongst Africans and yet got elected as President of USA.

The full implications of the Trump presidency have not dawn on the world yet but there is apprehension everywhere including Russian, China and India.

The Insight hopes that the Trump Presidency would not make things worse for a world which is already suffering increasing poverty, rising tensions in international relations and terrorism.

Perhaps, Mr. Trump needs to be advised to end his country’s blockade against Cuba, halt the regime change agenda in Syria, advice Israel against its apartheid policies in Palestine, move against war and end hostility with Ivan.

We can only hope at this stage.

GHANA STILL IMPORTS POWER

The relatively cheaper cost of electricity from Côte d'Ivoire is the reason Ghana continues to import power from that country, sources have said.

As at 5pm yesterday, figures from Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) revealed that Ghana was importing 185 megawatts of power from Côte d'Ivoire while thermal power plants idle in Ghana.

According to the electricity sector players, Côte d'Ivoire generates thermal power at the cost of 9 cents per kilowatt hour and sells it to Ghana for 11 cents while thermal plants in Ghana sell their power from 14 cents and above.

Industry players, who do not want to be named, told The Finder that it makes sense for Ghana to import from Côte d'Ivoire at this time because that country is now relying more on electricity from hydro sources as this is they are in the rainy season and the power is relatively cheaper.

In their view, the thermal power, which is available during this season, may not be available when the rains stop in Côte d'Ivoire.

Therefore, Ghana will have to run more thermal power plants, which are currently idle, to shore up generation and that would require more crude oil imports.

Akosombo Dam water level - 252.55 feet

The water level in Akosombo Dam as at yesterday was 252.55 feet – 25.45 feet less than the 278 feet required for the Dam to be full.

Engineers believe that buying power from Côte d'Ivoire and operating fewer turbines would make room for the water level to rise to appreciable levels before it starts dropping.

This, they say, would be useful when Côte d'Ivoire can no longer supply Ghana during the dry season.

$30m crude import a month

Currently, Ghana is importing some 600,000 barrels of crude oil a month at the cost of about $30million to fire thermal plants.

This fuel can fire 300mw of power for 40 days as 15,000 barrels of LCO is required to operate 300mw plants a day.

Escrow account to buy crude

Sources explained to The Finder that the purchase of the crude is made possible because all electricity bills collected go into an escrow account from which the amount needed to buy crude oil is set aside before the rest is shared to power sector stakeholders.

The sources noted that the arrangement has significantly reduced the amount of money that goes to the various stakeholders.

This situation is, however, not favourable to the cash flow of the Volta River Authority (VRA) which generates mostly from hydro sources but there is being used to pay for crude to run thermal plants.

1,483.79mw system generation

As at 5pm yesterday, system generation was 1,483.79 megawatts.

1,870mw peak load

However, peak load which runs from between 6pm and 11pm was expected to reach 1,870mw and engineers told The Finder that one more turbine at Akosombo and Bui Dam are added during peak hours to avoid shortfall.

Export to Togo and Benin

According to them, out of the 185mw imported from Ivory Coast, 100mw is added to Ghana’s generation while the remaining goes to Togo and Benin.

79.68 mmscf.

The Ghana Gas flow rate at Aboadze as at yesterday was 79.68 Million Standard Cubic Feet of gas per day.

30 mmscf for AMERI

Out of this, 30 Million Standard Cubic Feet of gas per day is given to Africa and Middle East Resources Investment (AMERI) power plant to generate 220 megawatts.

39 mmscf for TAPCO

The remaining 39 Million Standard Cubic Feet of gas per day is given to one unit of TAPCO to generate 150mw while the second unit of TAPCO is idle due to inadequate gas.

367,426 barrels of crude at Takoradi

Dual fuel-fired Takoradi International Company (TICO) is operating on Light Crude Oil (LCO) and as at yesterday, 367,426 barrels of crude was available and would last for 27 days.

TICO on crude

This is because TICO requires 10,000 barrels of crude oil a day to generate 200 megawatts and the heat from the combine cycle plant is also used to generate another 100mw making total power generation from TICO 300mw.

184, 812 barrels of crude in Tema

Light Crude Oil stockpile is Tema is 184,812 and this is expected to last for 17 days as it is used to fire 100mw Cenit Thermal plant.

Intermittent blackouts

Consumers are experiencing some outages because of lack of electricity generation reserve margin.

FIGHT FOOD INJUSTICE AND REPRESSION!

Alhaji Mohammed Muniru, Minister of Agriculture

By Pambazuka

Instead of heeding the just calls for food, land, and food sovereignty being raised by the farmers and peoples of the world, the powers that be are responding with intensified repression.

The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty unites with the farmers, agricultural workers, small-scale food producers, indigenous peoples and the peoples of the world in commemorating World Food Day this year. To call attention to the utter lack of food and hunger being experienced by the majority of the world’s population, we have called it World Hunger Day. This year, we carry the theme “Fight Food Injustice and Repression!” as a contribution to commemorating World Hunger Day and to highlight growing food injustice and intensifying repression against food justice activists worldwide.

Growing food injustice


On the one hand, global hunger continues to worsen. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ “State of Food Insecurity in the World” report for 2015 reports that there were 795 million people, or one in every nine, who suffered chronic hunger in the said year. Despite claims of progress based on comparisons with previous decades, the report cannot hide the fact that global hunger continues to be widespread.

The report itself states that progress in hunger reduction was uneven, with economic development in India and China causing a significant change in the numbers. It also points to the lack of structural changes and therefore sustainable development in the world’s economies when it cites “social protection” as having contributed significantly to hunger reduction and specifying this further with “cash transfers and social assistance programmes.” It also admits to having a “narrow” definition of hunger, “covering only chronically inadequate dietary energy intake lasting for over one year.”

On the other hand, monopoly-capitalists in the world’s agriculture and food systems are undertaking mergers and buyouts in order to strengthen their monopoly position. The mergers of Bayer and Monsanto, Dow and DuPont, and of ChemChina and Syngenta, will surely mean higher prices of commercial seeds and pesticides and more intensified efforts to make farmers and all small-scale food producers ever more dependent on the poison that they sell. It is aimed at increasing monopoly-capitalist control over the world’s agriculture and food systems and further attacking the exercise of food sovereignty by communities and countries.

In this light, we reiterate our support for the International Monsanto Tribunal currently being held at The Hague in The Netherlands. We view it as a culmination of continuous grassroots protests and opposition to Monsanto and monopoly-capitalist control over agriculture and food systems and we certainly hope that it will catalyze stronger protests and opposition. A tribunal against Monsanto, the face of monopoly-capitalism in agriculture and food systems, is a good start to intensify protests and opposition to all monopoly capitalists who are enemies of food sovereignty.

Underlying the worsening hunger in the world and the mergers of monopoly capitalists is the protracted economic depression being faced by the world economy.

Unemployment, landlessness and poverty continue to rise while there is a trend among monopoly-capitalists in general to engage in mergers and buyouts. The bailouts undertaken by big capitalist governments in the aftermath of the eruption of the crisis have worsened deficits, caused the implementation of austerity measures, and have led to the intractable crisis of public debt. Now, even the economies that relatively fared well at the start of the crisis are facing tougher times.

Intensifying repression


Instead of heeding the just calls for food, land, and food sovereignty being raised by the farmers and peoples of the world, the powers that be are responding with intensified repression. In 2015, the Pesticides Action Network – Asia-Pacific claimed that almost six farmers, indigenous people and/or land activists were being killed every month in relation to land struggles and conflicts, and many cases remain unreported. The year 2016 is also witness to intensifying repression of farmers, indigenous peoples, agricultural workers, and other small-scale food producers, especially those who are struggling for food justice and sovereignty.

In Ethiopia, hundreds, some claiming 700, indigenous peoples were killed in a protest for land and human rights on October 2, 2016 when the police used guns, rubber bullets, teargas and batons and caused a stampede in what has been called “Irreecha Massacre.” More than 500 people have been killed in protests since November 2015 while indigenous peoples’ leaders and food justice activists Pastor OmotAgwa, AshinieAstin, and Jamal OumarHojele remain in prison on the basis of fake terrorism charges filed by the Ethiopian government to silence its critics. The Ethiopian government is being backed by the US and Western powers as shown by their huge aid to the country.

In the Philippines police opened-fire on protesting farmers demanding rice in the aftermath of El Niño in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato on April 1, 2016, killing three farmers and wounding many. Just recently, 4 farmers were killed in Nueva Ecija province, one in Isabela, and another one in Palawan – all on September 2016 and because of land disputes. A farmer was killed in Compostela Valley on October 11, 2016, bringing the number of farmers and indigenous peoples who have been killed since July to 17.

In Colombia, even after the peace pact between the government and the FARC was announced, 13 social activists have been killed, including indigenous activists, environmental activists, farmer activists, and community leaders.

In Palestine, under Israel’s colonization, occupation and closure, vast farmlands continue to be confiscated for colony construction in the West Bank and for the establishment of “security” zones in the Gaza Strip. Access to water, for drinking and irrigation, is denied Palestinians.

In Honduras last March 3, indigenous rights and food sovereignty activist Berta Caceres was murdered, after receiving many death threats in the course of campaigning against the construction of a hydroelectric dam by internationally-financed Honduran company DESA. The dam project would cut off the ethnic Lenca people from water, food and medicine. Repression of activists in Honduras has worsened since the 2009 US-backed coup against Pres. Manuel Zelaya.

In Brazil, after a US-backed coup installed Michel Temer as the country’s president, a wave of repression has been unleashed against intensifying protests in which many agricultural workers and the landless participate.

In India, the militarization of communities opposing the ongoing construction of the Mapithel Dam in Manipur and plans to construct other dams is intensifying and causing human rights violations. Cops are allowed to arrest without warrants and to shoot based on mere suspicion. 

In Cameroon, NasakoBesingi, a prominent environmental activist and human rights defender, is facing trumped-up charges and judicial harassment for fighting agribusiness company Herakles Farms’ plan to set up an oil palm plantation. 

Strengthen our struggles!


We condemn the growing food injustice in the world today. We point to the need to change the structural causes of widespread hunger and intensifying monopoly control over the world’s agriculture and food systems. We condemn the intensifying repression being heaped on the farmers, agricultural workers, small-scale food producers, and indigenous peoples of the world. We remember and pay tribute to the martyrs of the cause of food justice and food sovereignty. We vow to continue the struggle for justice for their deaths and to give them the best tribute – that of continuing the struggle until victory is achieved.

We are calling on all farmers, agricultural workers, small-scale food producers, indigenous peoples and all peoples of the world fighting for food justice and sovereignty: Let us strengthen our struggles! Let us advance our struggles and expand our organizations. Let us educate and consolidate our organizations. Let us intensify efforts to mobilize our ranks and the thousands and millions whose interests we are struggling for. Let us strive to unite the broadest ranks in advancing our struggles and maximizing these for our long-term strength.

Our struggle for food sovereignty is relevant now more than ever! Let us strengthen our struggles! Fight food injustice and repression! Struggle for food sovereignty!

WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS PLAYING- FINDING RESTORATION AFTER A LAYOFF

Kofi Asamoah, former TUC Secretary General

By Dora Addy

‘We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity’- Barbara De Angelis- American relationship consultant.

When job cuts sets in, the mayhem caused is usually very difficult to contain, and the blues soon hovers around those affected.

Not only are individuals affected, families are hit hard, because breadwinners have lost jobs, and life is about to take a different turn.

ECONOMIC RECESSION

During the economic crunch in the 2007 period, the unemployment rate in the United States shot to 6.1%. Companies, both great and small were laying off staffs to cut down production costs, because spending was gradually reducing in the economic system. Hiring freezes and cutting the amount of production hours was not enough, and earnings for companies kept plummeting.

The core reason for the recession pointed to the gradual loss of economic gains among individuals, and so gradually, people decided to stop spending so much.

The recession wind blew across all industries, from the automobile and airline industries, retailing, steel mills, and many others, causing a major shutdown of some of the important enterprises. Goldman Sachs, one of the best enterprises on Wall Street, New York, for example had to lay off 10% of its workers.

According to a 24/7 Wall Street’s analysis from the beginning of the recession in 2007 up till 2010, it was reported that more than eight million Americans had lost their jobs. It was also said that, of the eight million figures, about 700,000 were as a result of layoffs from just twenty five companies!

The automobile industries in the United States, which were previously hailed for preserving the jobs of its staffs, were dealt a blow with a 200,000 layoffs.

Giant automobile company, General Motors laid off 107,357 staffs in all of its plants in operation, because car sales had dropped dramatically to eleven million from the previous sixteen million figures within the 2005 and 2009 periods.

The financial sector did not escape. The meltdown coerced major banks to close down- Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, while Merill Lynch and Washington Mutual were sold.

Investment bank, Merill Lynch, cut off more than 41,000 jobs, as its earnings dropped. This happened after Bank of America had taken over the firm.

Still, spending shrunk, affecting the health industry, and this meant that the high quality drugs which were quite expensive would give way to less expensive drugs which are usually not authentic and really not helpful.

Computer kings, Hewlett Packard, cut off about 48,000 jobs, in order to save costs, and also to plan its business structures through combining other units within the firm.

Dream airliner, Boeing, laid off more than 10,000 people owing to low patronage and drop in ticket sales.

GHANA CASES

In Ghana, job recession expresses itself in economic downturn through frequent power outages, high cost of production, counterfeiting, high interest rates, devaluation of the cedi, etc.

In 2015, it was discovered by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) that 34% of businesses in Ghana laid off workers in a period of six months.

According to findings from officials of the Ghana Employers’ Association, (GEA), layoffs are due to the weakening of Ghana’s macro-economic regime. Erratic power supply, instability of the cedi, high interest rates and high costs of utilities are forcing many brands to consider the number of staffs on board.

There is  belief that counterfeiting and illicit trade in the country have increased competition, because lawful businesses and products find it hard to compete with pirated goods which are often much patronized and favored above legitimate products.

This year, some three thousand mine workers have been laid off due to the fall in market price for gold. The commodity is said to have fallen from $1,921.15 to $1,180.50 in June.

The textile and some major telecom industries in Ghana have been affected as well with hundreds of people forced to abandon their job posts. 

In August this year, the Ghana oil and gas industry have been affected by layoffs, where some three hundred people have lost jobs, owing to the drop in oil prices on the world market, which had had an impact on oil and crude oil prices.

The Ghana Employers Association has warned that there will more layoffs this year. Owing to the unstable nature of the microeconomic sector, it has been revealed that the inflow of inferior goods and illicit trade have weakened major businesses, who are finding it hard to gain grounds.

While the inflation rate has shot up, (above 17%) many companies find it difficult to keep the cost of production stable.

EFFECTS ON THE NATIONAL POPULATION

Although through circumstances beyond control, laying off persons carries an interesting set of troubles on its own.

It is said that when you lay off one person, at least six people in his family are bound to be affected. It’s quite true. Most people devote most of their years in the public sectors, and do not really put down emergency plans through insurance and other savings plans to secure themselves and their families in the event of layoffs, or even retirement.

Much of the active demonstrations that arise from layoffs, are only a little side of the sentiments felt by affected persons. The aftermath of layoffs has both emotional and social disadvantages.

The trauma of being laid off when one is unprepared for it can be overwhelming and create a deep emotional burden for one and his family. Suicidal tendencies are not far sometimes, when the right measures are not quickly adopted to assuage the pain felt. During this time, family members ought to be supportive, and not otherwise.

Socially, the depth of the void created inside these persons is usually filled with vice. Many persons who have found themselves in the layoff ratio have resorted to unsocial activities; criminal acts that endanger lives.

DEALING WITH IT

According to American psychologist John M. Grohol, a layoff is out of everyone’s control but suggests that keeping one’s emotions in check in one of the most favorable ways to deal with it.  By this, expressing unkind remarks and throwing tantrums at the workplace is least advised. Rather, one should consider taking references from a supervisor or manager, for future job applications.

‘Don’t let your disappointment and upset turn into a new pessimistic, outlook on your life and career, or into a full blown depressive episode’, John M. Grohol advises again, but rather, people should consider regrouping and reframing, which according to therapists, is a process of taking a negative situation, thought or feeling and looking at it from a different perspective for some positive aspects.

He also suggests that people ‘hit the classifieds’ and get really serious about finding new jobs, and in addition, going slow on money they have previously saved. They ought to prioritize their needs from wants, because money could be used up during this period.

Finally, he advises that people should keep hope alive, because keeping a positive attitude during this period which may span longer than anticipated is very useful. Quickly switching and remaining in negativity will definitely lead to serious depression. When you remain positive it is easier to bounce back to your former abilities and skills, rather than lose them through the blues.

A SETBACK IS NEVER A DESTINATION

After one is laid off, there are usually lots of options that elude the mind of the affected person. The news comes as a shock, and so most people are unable to think clearly. 

Although one should consistently look to winning ways, it is no paranoia to have side plans to already existing jobs.

The God-given ability to do something especially different from anyone else is a gift that can take one far.

Consider the great men and women who were faced with similar encounters but overcame and now rank among the wealthy class in society. On a more positive note, many of today’s millionaires and billionaires started out alone.

Walt Disney was fired, and his employer told him he ‘lacked imagination and had no good ideas’. Walt Disney later went into bankruptcy after acquiring an animation studio. He moved out of town and started a cartoon series in California, where he found success.

Harry Potter author, J.K. Rowling, was a daydreamer at work, and spent much of her time writing stories on her work computer. A secretary for the London office of Amnesty International, her employers thought she was not serious for the job and sacked her.

Oprah Winfrey was pulled off air because a producer of one television station thought she was unfit to be on air. Heart-broken, she quickly overcame and founded her show, ‘People are talking’. That show was soon to birth the Oprah Winfrey Show.

The wealthiest man in the world today, Bill Gates, was a school drop-out, but was bold and ventured into the business world with his ideas. Today, Microsoft is a global corporation and patronized by all.

British billionaire, Richard Branson of Virgin Incorporated did not finish school either. Yet he fully understood the potential in him and believed in himself. Although he experienced major setbacks in his early life while in school, he never wavered. In business, Richard Branson has suffered very difficult losses in business, but has remained steadfast.

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, an intimate apparel company, failed many times in life- failed attempt at entering into law school, rejected often as a saleswoman, among other hilarious experiences in life, and had to go through a painful divorce. Today she is one of the world’s billionaires.

RACISM WITHOUT RACE

South African President, Jacob Zuma

By Hashi Kenneth Tafira

South African colonial modernity fabulously benefited those who prosecuted cruel adventuring; their descendants still enjoy the ill-gotten social wages. 1994 didn’t usher a new society, so decolonisation remains an unfinished undertaking. A national project that rehabilitates and restores the full humanity of the victims of racism is an urgent necessity now.

The end of juridical apartheid in 1994 brought hope to many, especially those who had suffered centuries of racial subjugation and exploitation. The much vaunted rainbow nation and the narrative of a non-racial society spelled a new beginning. With this mantle came the rather premature optimistic expectation of improved race relations and, of course, ethnic tolerance given apartheid’s cultural relativism and ethnos; an official policy that masked its insidious virulent racial social engineering project.

In 1994 attempts were made to transcend the past and craft the future, a future where all races and all ethnicities would live in harmonious, tolerant environs characterised by lofty ideals of reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) headed by cleric Desmond Tutu epitomised this principle. Of course the commission has been subjected to critique and battery from different angles. Recent incidents of white anti-black racism (which are not new in post-1994 anyway) demand renewed appraisal of the postapartheid reconciliation and rainbowism agenda.

The career of post-1994 white supremacist racism shows that attempts at improving race relations and efforts to transcend the concept of race remain a pipedream. There are mainly three reasons my presentation makes to show that South Africa’s racial problem cannot easily be solved without asking fundamental historical questions while at the same time critically examining the country’s social structure, its historical social formation and the historical demands of masses of the black populace.

Firstly, I would begin by declaring that South Africa’s race and racial problem is a colonial problem which cannot be peremptorily overcome without rethinking and reconsidering decolonisation. South Africa’s colonial modernity was founded on genocidal impulses, epistemological erasures, rape, murder, chivalrous plunder, confiscation of indigenous land and livestock. South African colonial modernity which spans five hundred years has been a long gory story that is etched in blood, sweat, tears and suffering for those who have been subjected to its vicious machinations. South African colonial modernity has immensely and fabulously benefitted those who prosecuted cruel adventuring; their descendants still enjoy these ill-gotten social wages. 1994 didn’t usher a new society congruent with the principles of the liberation struggle, implying that decolonisation remains an unfinished undertaking.  I argue, in finality, that a new humanity, that not only rehabilitates but restores the ontological personality and the humanity of victims of South African modernity, is an urgent necessity today.

The first step is restoration of land to its rightful owners which helps in recreating a new personhood. Secondly decolonial ethics must be part of the official agenda whereby it’s not enough to deracialise society but decolonise it including its institutions, its framework of value systems and importantly the psyche and minds of both black and white South Africans.

My second observation is that race/racism denialism and colour-blindness has been a bane to efforts towards harmonious racial relations. Race denialism which runs deep in the country’s historiography, from apartheid ethnosto the dominant liberation movement, has had a far-reaching impact. Worse still South African social formation has been analysed in rather dishonest academic and defective analytical tools.  Class rather than the race question has been privileged in this schema. The result is that we live in a society where there is racism without race, racists without racism. An abhorrent narrative that has emerged from all this has been white racists and the general white population accusing those blacks (who historically are victims of racism) speaking out on the racial issue and calling for racial justice,  black racists. Whites have suddenly become victims of reverse racism.  The tag “racist” apportioned to blacks shows the extent of the dishonesty of South African white racists. With regards to the American experience, Hoyt .W. Fuller observes:

“Consider: America is a racist society. That is, opportunity and rewards are apportioned, for the most part, according to race and colour. The preferred and the privileged are white; the rejected and the degraded are non-white…The non-whites understand that much of the “the good life” for white Americans is bought at the price of their continued subjugation.” [1]

Similarly, the age-old biological racism is still apparent. Referring to black people as primates is inherent in any racist project. It is part of the image making, a binary representation of black as evil and ugly; white pure and clean. Carolyn .F. Gerald captures this essence perfectly well:

“If it is someone else’s reshaping of reality which we perceive, then we are within that other person’s sphere of influence and can be led to believe whatever he wishes us to believe; that a rosebush is pleasant because it has a fragrant smell, or that it is unpleasant because it has thorns.” [2]

Gerald continues:

“We are black people living in a white world. When we consider that the black man sees white cultural and racial images projected upon the whole extent of his universe, we cannot help but realize that a very great deal of the time the black man sees a zero image of himself.” [3]

In post-1994 it has become taboo and criminal to insist that racism is alive. Recently there has been rather encouraging efforts to acknowledge that white anti-black racism in South Africa is healthy, hearty and hale.  Opening up a robust conversation on this topic shows that society is coming to terms with this rather reprehensible problem.

After years of denial the bubble is now bursting. White culpability and responsibility for the current Black Condition is huge. White South Africans have to sign an admission of guilty and accept that they are continued beneficiaries of an unjust system. In the same vein it doesn’t help matters for anybody, black or white, to insinuate that the apartheid/colonial discomfiture is a thing of the past; that we should forgive and forget and move on, that those who hanker on the past are inimical to progress. This has been the fate of reconciliation efforts – plastering over cracks. Acknowledging and recognising a problem is a step towards crafting solutions.

Thirdly, I advocate for pluri-culturalism, in other words a pluri-cultural society. Here are the reasons why. Pluri-culturalism is an anti-dote to rainbowism/non-racialism. The latter two, as we have witnessed have been proven failures, have neither succeeded to improve South African racial tensions nor ease ethnic differences. They are founded on a false premise; on rather awe-inspiring jeremiads about reconciliation; on an untenable hope that beneficiaries of South African racism would be ready to live with other people in peace and harmony; on victims forgiving perpetrators who are not prepared to ask for atonement of their sins nor acknowledge the humanity of blacks. Rainbowism/non-racialism is silent on the historical facts which point out how South African social formation came to be. It neither suggests reparations for the victims of South African colonial modernity nor call for social justice. Rainbowism/non-racialism is premised on liberal, rather than liberation, notions of democratic citizenship.

Many black South Africans are still proscribed outside the nation and its fruits. Black African migrants are victims of black-on-black-anti-black-racism, itself a historical accrual and a historical white anti-black-racist depository. On the other hand pluri-culturalism is antithetical to rainbowism/non-racialism. It calls not for a non-racial society but an anti-racist society where the citizenry is made conscious of the evils of racism, that erstwhile racists and imperialists have no place in our midst;  is equipped with a moral responsibility that calls for an equal society where equal rights and justice are ideals that are upheld with conviction.

Pluri-culturalism is insistent in an uncompromising manner on social justice. It is a commitment to the idea of the human, whereby in society a human being and his/her needs take precedence. It calls for an analysis of the objective and material conditions of a people. It critically reviews the “death-zones”, the spaces engineered and spatially formulated for those proscribed outside the human. It calls for their dismantlement and unapologetically says the people must get food, shelter and enjoy the gift of life.

Pluri-culturalism is driven by truth and relentlessly pursues it to its core and to its logics. It is driven by African humanist ethos that sees the human in the other human. It is inspired by African ancient values of sharing. It doesn’t see a stranger as alien but one of the cosmopolites and planetary universes. It recognises the cosmological and the spiritual disposition of African people. It is from these considerations that a pluri-cultural society impinges on.

Finally pluri-culturalism is founded on Pan-African ethos that reneges on artificially imposed colonial borders and refuses to acquiesce to colonial crafted differences.

It would be important that the conversation on race relations in South Africa be continued and insisted upon without fear of consequence. Of course the racial issue is world-wide, white supremacy is global, and the assault on the black body is global. This is an opportune moment for all committed to the idea of the human to begin to take a responsibility and say the decolonisation project is an unfinished business of the liberation struggle.

* DrHashi Kenneth Tafira is the author of Black Nationalist Thought in South Africa: The Persistence of an Idea of Liberation, 2016, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.