Imbizo- My Debate: We want all that whites have and we want it now!

Bishop Clyde Ramalaine

“We want everything that whites have! Is it a fair claim? I think it is.”

These are some of the words a tired and physically strained Julius Malema shared in a clearly scorched voice. He said: “If they ask you what we want, tell them we want everything that whites have”. This, for me, as colloquial or even rhetorical as it may sound, summarises in stark clarity the essence of the non-dying economic struggle discourse.

If we talk in 2011 of an economic Codesa or a discourse manifested in true action exemplified in redress, it is the grave acknowledgment that the gap between those who have and do not have is real.

Not only is this a simplistic case of those who have and those who do not have, but such is vehemently shaped by a race definition of such wealth.

The youth marched this week with a clear message: the economic struggle is our struggle, the economic struggle is our reality, and the economic struggle is one we must bring to the fore. The youth say we are challenged to deal with the economic struggle for all nations in Africa which have become politically free but almost never attain economic freedom.

When the youth say we want everything that whites have, it must beg the question; what do whites have?

1. Whites have and own our land. All 86% of it is controlled by a mere 12% of the population. Such originally illegitimate ownership is now supported by a constitutional democracy that advances market prices and defends the individual rights of those who own, guaranteeing them the right to free-market based pricing.

The youth are saying we cannot afford to delay the legitimate claim of those who rightfully must own this land by pussyfooting around technicalities when the wealth of whites as owners of this land is enforced.

2. To say we want everything that whites have, is to say we want our rights to mines as a God-given right to own returned to the original people, starting with the Khoisan.

3. When the youth say we want what whites have, it is to recognise that the present state owned enterprises (SOEs) have life-time contracts worth billions.

These SOEs have in the past 10 years not attained even 5% of true empowerment for blacks and have found creative ways to perpetuate these gross imbalances.

4. It is to acknowledge that SA banks and the finance houses are the enclave of white supremacy. While a few blacks may be called CEOs, it simply doesn’t translate to the disparity of this race-controlled economy.

6. It is to admit that the access to opportunity in job creation is not simply the role of the government alone but the existential role of corporate SA which has benefitted immensely and continuous to benefit from this economy in which human capital, essentially black, is having to contest for a living wage.

7. It is to say the right to education at all levels is a Freedom Charter right in which a democratic government is compelled to ensure that education at all levels is free.

It is to argue that those who advance the notion that affirmative action and empowerment for blacks must have expiry dates for all children born after 1994 are equal. Such advancement negates the truth that such a cut off as 1994 takes no cognisance of the inherent context of this economic disparity in which whites have always benefitted more than any other group.

8. It is to admit all BEE deals in corporate SA came truly as a benefit to those who owned the companies and projects that black people bought.

9. It is to acknowledge that whites are a respected people because they have shaped this economy and have entrenched their future for the average white child in SA, for they know how important it is to afford the white child an opportunity to develop his epistemology (world view) as a means of development and maturity.

10. It is to argue white children are guaranteed an annual family vacation where they see sides of South Africa that the average black child will never see or experience.

11. When the youth cry out for more, it is to say whites rand for rand are the highest earners per capita.

Let me close by saying the youth want everything that whites have. This means, do not rob us of anything that made them. Kenny Kunene the controversial sushi- king, is on record as saying he attained his wealth because whites made it possible.

This means in order for the youth to get their stake it will have to come from whites. The Constitution embraces the cry for an equality of economic context.

Halala the youth, halala economic freedom in my lifetime, halala we want all that whites have and we want it now!

Bishop Clyde Ramalaine is an independent observer

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