The furore over Helen Zille’s "legacy of colonialism" statement is so puerile and ridiculous that it is almost an insult to the intelligence of a normal human being. Obviously, the reactionary population in this country have absolutely nothing constructive to think about if this can be blown so way out of proportion.
Let me make clear that as a Canadian-born South African I am most definitely the product of colonialism. Had my ancestors not been colonisers I would not have gained the benefit of every aspect of my development I take for granted. Yes, language, education, science, trade, infrastructure, central government (perhaps a dubious benefit but one necessary for the creation of countries and their development) and healthcare, among a myriad of others, all came about as a result of emigration, immigration and in one form or another colonisation.
Everyone on the planet was at one time or another subject to colonisation. The ultimate colonists, and the ones probably most reviled by the opponents of colonisation — the British — were themselves colonised by more developed and certainly more warlike people and tribes.
Africans must not forget that they too were, in their age, colonisers; the Moors conquered vast swaths of Western Europe well before the Europeans ever thought of populating other parts of the world. Even the Bantu of southern Africa are the offspring of African colonisers from north of the Limpopo. The large population of Indians in SA, arguably among the most prosperous of all expat Indians, are the product of emigration, albeit as indentured labourers originally. Ask a South African Indian if he would like to be repatriated to his land of origin,
All this controversy is the product of a deep-seated inferiority complex and search for scapegoats to explain the lack of performance of huge swaths of our population. It is really quite sad.
I urge South Africans to grow up and look to the real issues that need our urgent attention; issues that are far more critical to the state of our nation.
Dr Peter Baker
Parktown North
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