Dear Zulumathabo. Although the ministries relate...

2009-08-25T07:57:03.033-07:00

Dear Zulumathabo.

Although the ministries related to money and trade are controlled by people who's ancestors were Indian or European, they were all appointed by Dr. Zuma, who is a dyed-in-the-wool black South African. Instead of complaining about why the European and Indian descended South African citizens control these ministries (assuming that Ebrahim Patel, Pravin Gordhan, Barbara Hogan, Rob Davies, A. Singh, et al are full South African citizens), why did you not instead question why Dr Zuma appointed non-African descended South Africans to such economically influential posts? To an Indian descended Canadian, this is puzzling, especially since Dr Zuma could only have come to power by getting a majority of black African votes.

I agree with you that apartheid was more about economic control rather than racism. Race was just a simple way to figure out who belonged where in the economic pecking order. However the lack of empathy is something that crosses all lines of race and economic prosperity. I'll argue that Dr Zuma, by appointing these non-African descended people to these key ministries is showing the same lack of empathy to the poor African mother as the non-African descended minister who denies funding to her project.

The other possibility is that Dr Zuma had larger problems to face such as consolidation of political power, mending relations within his party and with neighbours, instituting freer trade with his neighbours, and the like. To achieve this, maybe he needed the perception of stability in other ministries to achieve his agenda. Who knows...I can only guess.

However, no matter whether the appointments were reasonable or not, the full responsibility falls on Dr Zuma, the elected president. Blaming or praising anybody else is a red herring.

Regards, Jay

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Dear Zulumathabo. Although the ministries relate...