Israel trumpets African return, others want to leave

Geoff Sifrin

Taking Issue

The issue came up at a pre-election panel in Johannesburg last week organised by the SAJBD with ANC, DA, Cope and ACDP representatives presenting their plans for the city if they won the August 3 local elections.

Recent months have been characterised by violence throughout the country, amid accusations that the national broadcaster, the SABC, is censoring coverage to make the ANC look better.

South Africa feels like a country beginning to burn – some people already talk of a “low grade civil war”. Anger against the ANC might lead to it losing control of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Port Elizabeth to the DA or EFF.

Most of the evening consisted of predictable political posturing, leaving the audience uninspired. The unfortunate ANC representative Roslyn Greeff – who stood in for Mayor Parks Tau – proclaimed that Johannesburg had become a booming “construction site” under the ANC, but was furiously attacked for the negative image corruption-stained President Jacob Zuma presented to the country and her party.

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota called Zuma a “thief”; DA mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba said South Africa had become the “laughing stock of the world”, while the ACDP’s Steve Swart said corruption violated the “Judeo-Christian ethic”. The EFF was invited but did not attend – a disturbing hint of contempt for this particular audience.

Later, a question from the floor about affirmative action and the white predicament, instantly made everyone sit up keenly: “I am a white South African with very young children. There is a large exodus of white, skilled South Africans from this country. What future is there for my children here in terms of education and jobs?”

Panel chairman Mandy Wiener elaborated: “If you go to a Shabbos table, everyone is talking about ‘plan B’. What is the future for our children here? Everyone is walking around with the question whether to leave or stay.”

Mashaba was worried about South Africans leaving not just the country, but crime-ridden Johannesburg: “[With] migration to the [DA-run] Western Cape, Johannesburg is losing great lives, businesses, money.”

Greeff agreed emigration was a bad sign. “I am a white woman who grew up in this country, with four children. I would be stupid if I didn’t think about it. But as a South African who joined the ANC I feel there is a future for our children here. It’s about integrating, getting our children to live together. Crime is our big problem – I was attacked and robbed in my house, it’s a terrible thing.”

The issue of racial polarisation permeated the evening. Lekota rejects BEE affirmative action. “I asked Mandela many years ago: ‘When are we going to stop calling ourselves black and white, and call ourselves South Africans?’ I don’t want BEE because I don’t want money from anyone. Let me exercise my talent!”

Affirmative action was unavoidable in redressing apartheid’s sins against blacks. But for whites growing up after apartheid, it denies them jobs and they emigrate. There should be a sunset clause to it.

The audience left the panel uneasy, their fears for the country and themselves still gnawing. South African Jews have long been among Israel’s most enthusiastic welcoming party to Africa. But they are asking: When an Israeli prime minister visits South Africa eventually, will they still be able to tell him what a wonderful country they live in and how committed they are to it?

Read Geoff Sifrin’s regular columns on his blog sifrintakingissue.wordpress.com