#BookReview: Black Tax Burden Or Ubuntu?

Title: Black Tax Burden Or Ubuntu?
Editor: Niq Mhlongo
Publisher: Jonathan Ball (2019)
Genre: Non- fiction Essays

Black tax is largely seen as a responsibility that is given to young black professionals to take care of their siblings and unemployed family members.

It has been a topical issue that has inspired a comedy sitcom on BET.

The book explores a phenomenon which rightly or wrongly has been termed as ‘black tax’, which is a phenomenon where a working family member takes care of his or her entire family, sometimes extended ones.

It is a collection of 26 essays written by some of the finest writers in Southern Africa.

Some contributors shared the same sentiment that the act of giving and receiving may be abused, with recipients taking advantage, having a sense of entitlement and being demanding.

Givers may also be taken on guilt trips and be shunned by their families.

It is also portrayed in some essays how giving is not only financial and material.

The book is effective and powerful in that it incorporates the political and historical origin of black poverty.

It also speaks about how a new generation, sometimes first time graduates have to carry the burden of looking after the whole family.

It rightfully so, speaks of land dispossessions, stock theft, apartheid reserves, and migrant labour, to mention a few.

The negative aspect of the book is that it appears as if the contributors were given the same brief, which results in a lack of variety and the book comes across as monolithic.

Black Tax is an interesting and necessary body of work on a broad and controversial topic that impacts black lives.

I was impressed at how some authors displayed their story telling and creative writing prowess.

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