We are not Indians in the pure sense, we are African Indians
Until South Africans can overcome the fear of another, social cohesion remains a pipe dream.
PSYCHOLOGIST and author Dr Devi Rajab says South Africans rarely know each other outside a group stereotype. “After 21 years of democracy we still display the residuals of our apartheid socialisation. This self-negation is a grave stumbling block to our economic and social development.”
According to Rajab who was speaking at the social cohesion seminar at the Durban ICC, until South Africans can overcome the fear of another, social cohesion remains a pipe dream.
“For as long we are alive and a society there will always be this thing of differentiating one by another. The challenge for social cohesion is to get ourselves away from playing like two-year-olds, not alongside each other but together. You listen to the radio and you hear the preservation of ‘their culture’. You impoverish yourself when you choose to see yourself in a small cubicle, I am an Indian, I am so and so. Social cohesion is a lovely thing. You will learn about the other culture and enjoy each other’s traditions, if only you’ll overcome the stereotype. It was only when I went to India, that I felt that I was a South African. We have already metamorphosed, so when you call us Indians we are not Indians in the pure sense, we are African Indians,” she said.
Meanwhile Dr Rama Naidu, an expert on community engagement said we have to see and talk to each other as South Africans and speak up when we hear racist remarks shared in our small corners.
“The sharing of our stories will ensure that the journey to healing starts. The rumours we hear about each other is what keeps us apart. If we leave it to government to start social cohesion, we will be waiting for a very long time. Racism is everywhere, we might think we are different but we are still brown people. Our government which is led by black people must build and lead us. It is well and good to blame government for the problems we are faced with, they are responsible to some extent but if we leave it to them to create social reconciliation we will wait forever. As long we are talking, the time will come that we unite.”
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