Those girls weren’t racist

Editor – I WAS appalled and angered when I watched the news on eTV. Two white female students were expelled from their university residence and labelled racist for dressing up as black domestic workers for a fancy dress party.

“What is racism mommy?” Asked my seven-year-old. “When a peach person doesn’t like a brown person or the other way around,” I told her. I asked her if she thought her Gogo did a good job, “yes” she said. I asked her if she did an amazing job, “yes” was her answer. We both agreed Gogo would be complimented if my daughter dressed up like her Gogo for a fancy dress.

Our black domestic worker has taught me about dedication, commitment, loyalty, punctuality, humility, joy, attention to detail, striving to always do her best and serving God in all she does. Our domestic worker does her job excellently with a smile. Within a few months of her working for us for two days a week she was employed by four different families six days a week because she does her job so well. How many domestic workers in South Africa are black versus white?

My white sister lives in Australia and is employed as a cleaner in the mines. She works hard for her family and I am proud of her.

What are those people (black and white university students) actually saying when they call two white students racist because they painted their faces black and dressed up as a domestic workers for a fancy dress party?

I call it occupational discrimination and our country is full of it. It is time to start respecting all those who earn an income and support their family by doing a good job.

Would it be racist if they had dressed up as a black surgeon?

Wendy Young

Durban North