Why South Africans must stop being classified by race

Dear Mr President, it is time South Africans are stopped being classified as black, coloured, Indian or white. Continually classifying us is a great way to divide our nation.

The majority of our people, regardless of race, are good people who want a life free from crime, corruption, incompetence and violence. They want jobs. They want hope. They aspire to a better life.

They don’t go around murdering innocent people, attacking farms, invading homes, sabotaging infrastructure and doing whatever they please.

They do not attack places of history and burn them down. They do not attack cash-in-transit vehicles with the intent of killing and robbing.

They do not constantly make calls for violence and a race war, as some parliamentarians do. Some of these parliamentarians openly call for the murder of some of our people. And all this is unfolding under your watch.

Even worse, they are paid with taxpayers’ money to call for anarchy, chaos and race war. Your government has actively promoted racial tensions at a level last witnessed decades ago.

We didn’t vote for this.

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We, the majority, did not destroy and bankrupt our stateowned enterprises and municipalities. We did not wreck our critical infrastructure. We did not ruin our present and future. We did not destroy our failing schools and education system.

But despite efforts to destroy our education, we are not stupid. We do not attack superpowers with empty words and threats. We did not call for a global trade war. We did not vote to side with terror and pariah states.

We did not vote to become known as a debt-distressed rogue state – which is what we are becoming.

We, the majority, didn’t call on the wrath of the US or any other country. We didn’t discard and vilify foreign direct investment as your government did.

We voted for a government that would govern the nation in fairness and for all of the people of our once beautiful and thriving country. We voted for a government that would oversee national prosperity and international respect.

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We do not endorse and praise failure as some of your ministers do. Nor do we, when called out, blame others for our lack of competence. We try to hold ourselves accountable but in these dark times we have been led into, it is becoming increasingly difficult.

We did not encourage the growing sense of entitlement. Your government did so.

We did not vote for anarchy and failure. Your government chose to ignore these damaging actions.

After all, shouldn’t a government govern to the advantage of the majority of its people? Or should it rather only govern for those who desire the opposite – or those who consider themselves princes and princesses of entitlement?

As many of our so-called leaders keep reminding us, we should never forget our history. But there comes a time when we need to move on and not keep remaining stuck in it. For 30 years, we have been constantly reminded that the black people alone are the victims of history. This is a deflection of reality and we have, instead, become victims of our government’s inability to govern.

Our so-called leaders have become a national disgrace and embarrassment to the majority. Their failures and incompetence are constantly blamed on the past. These overpaid freeloaders have yet to prove their competence to us, the majority. And they have had 30 years in which to do so.

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Even though we have a government of national unity, it has shown itself to be one of national disunity.

Mr President, you may recall that I once gave you very good advice even before the costly but failed Zondo commission. That advice was sound and based on historical trends that have followed similar commissions.

I warned of the looming greylisting. I warned of the consequences of corruption and its impact on the majority. I warned against siding with pariah states, I warned of the effects of failed law and order. I warned of the dangers of a lack of intelligence. I warned of the results of failed governance and imploding municipalities. I warned of so many things that were summarily rejected.

The international community that once lauded us has, instead, come to despise us. Please rectify this situation as we, the majority, never voted for this mess.

The only revolution we need is one that gives us a well-led government that cares for its people, not for its members’ personal wealth.