EDITOR – I write in response to Mr Meyer’s letter published in the Northglen News: Is Meyiwa’s life more important? which may be in response to my previous letter:
Schabir Shaik and Oscar Pistorius managed to buy ‘their way out of prison’ due to the fact that, as I stated previously only those who can afford to hire top legal representation can secure a lenient sentence in the event of a conviction. I did in fact state that harsh sentences are imposed upon accused persons found guilty of various offences. I had an issue with the fact that Pistorius’s five year prison sentence was too lenient. As for your mentioning of the blunders of this current government, I fully agree with you.This does not change the fact that most people in this country are poor thanks to Apartheid. Contrary, to what you claim there is such a concept as previously disadvantaged.
The ‘whole new generation that has been born’ were in fact raised in poor families. Their families were poor thanks to the discrimination they endured under the previous regime.
Similarly you state that you ‘whites have worked hard ‘ and ‘paid taxes’. This argument does not take into account that most of your hard working whites made their fortune at a time where they faced no competition from black and Indian South Africans on the job market. In fact during that golden age for whites, their businesses were favoured.
In fact it is very easy to become rich after subjugating over eighty percent of the population and denying them suitable opportunities. Furthermore, even in the area of education, whites faced little competition from non-whites. Even young whites grew up in families who benefited from Apartheid. These young whites were afforded various advantages in life thanks to their families. We all know the ANC have been ruling South Africa since 1994 but the effects of Apartheid are still evident in every facet of our society. Anyone who holds otherwise is being deliberately obtuse.
As an example of the low opinion with which we blacks are regarded, a recent event shocked me. I applied for a job at a private company on the recommendation of my friend, Nick. After, I applied I was informed by one of the partners that my application would not be taken any further. Apparently, I was sarcastically told that I would not be hired because I had made a single spelling and punctuation error in my application. She told me to go improve my spelling.
This clearly shows that we the majority are still regarded as being less clever and less competent than the hardworking whites. I’m glad that you agree with me that harsher sentences should be imposed notwithstanding the wealth or poverty of a convicted accused.
Your assertion that I should ‘try’ both ‘hardwork’ and ‘planning’ is rejected. You do not know me so please do not make any defamatory insinuations about me.
I am sorry for your loss but you are under no circumstances permitted to take it out on me. I also find it grossly unfair that no reward was offered by the police in your matter.
Siya Mkhize
Avoca
