Wed Jun 19 19:13:17 SAST 2013
Wed Jun 19 19:13:17 SAST 2013

Zille blames no black middle class on history

Jul 6, 2012 | Quinton Mtyala | 406 comments

DA LEADER and Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has blamed Cape Town's lack of a black middle class on history, saying there were no blacks and whites living in the province 300 years ago.

But the ANC quickly latched onto her statement to lash her, saying that the DA provincial government perpetuated the status quo in its employment practices.

Zille was speaking at a colloquium which sought an answer to the lack of skills among the historically disadvantaged, especially in the Western Cape.

Earlier this year Zille got into trouble, first for referring to singer Simphiwe Dana as a "professional black" after she had complained about perceived racism in Cape Town, and then calling children at an overcrowded school in Grabouw "educational refugees".

Yesterday she said: "Black people and white people were not in the Western Cape over 300 years ago. As black people were migrating down the east coast, white people were arriving in ships down the west coast."

In February Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder claimed that black people could not lay claim to the Western and Northern Cape as they had migrated to the north.

Yesterday Zille said subsequent attempts by colonial administrations to keep black people out of the Western Cape were part of a "tragic history".

ANC leader in the Western Cape legislature and former premier Lynne Brown said the low number of middle class blacks in Cape Town is due to the attitude of the DA government since it came to power in 2009.

"There are many black graduates from universities in the Western Cape but they leave here because they can't find jobs. It doesn't help when you call people refugees," said Brown.

Comments

Wed Jun 19 19:13:17 SAST 2013 ::
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

Stumaeza

Where were you 300 years ago???

There's no story here
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

Dzel

First it was denial of racism in Cape Town. Then blacks seeking opportunities in the WC being labelled refugees a term meant to clearly a message that these individuals do not belong in the WC and now she is saying blacks have no claim to the Western Cape as it has never belonged to them.

The question Zille should be addressing is what is she and her provincial government doing to grow this black middle class particularly within people who grew up in the Western Cape. How do you grow this middle class when you are opposed to AA, how do you encourage employers in your province to commit to targets when you tell them you don't believe in black people being affirmed however silly the concept might seem.

You know the irony in all this is Zille wants us to pretend we live in a racial utopia and should never blame apartheid for our circumstances but when it suits her she goes back 300 years in history to explain her failure.

Someone remind me again why I should vote for this woman?

Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

Dikmol

If i were madam, i would not go there with my excuses because she is stirring the honest nest. This woman changes her skin according to situations like a chameleon. Where does she get the nerve to compare the rightfulness of Africans with that of whites, in AFRICA?
She must be reminded also that the western cape is surrounded by the sea....it wont be difficult.
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

MommaC

Politicians are all tossed in the head.
Really now. 300 years ago is to blame? Did she not notice that we had apartheid?
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

Dzel -The irony is, the DA has only been in power since 2009 in CT. And before that? Oh right, it was the ANC. So what did the ANC do to grow the black middle class?
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

Dzel

WakeUpSouthAfrica,

Dzel -The irony is, the DA has only been in power since 2009 in CT. And before that? Oh right, it was the ANC. So what did the ANC do to grow the black middle class?
======================================================

You are approaching this from a wrong angle, the question is not what did who do but rather what is the current government doing and what is their attitude in changing the status quo hence they were voted in power.

So tell me, what has the DA DONE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION?

Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

Dzel - Lets see what the ANC achieved in the past 3 years (Same time span the DA had). It lost over a million jobs :P

Blah blah blah, your rant, blah blah, ANC.
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

MommaC

The good news is that nobody blamed the 'over supply' of colourd folk :)

Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

Dzel - "So tell me, what has the DA DONE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION?"

WCape created jobs during the recession. You dont grow a middle class with unemployment. But I forget, over a million immigrants from the ECape, and suddenly, the WCape has to transform them all into middle class.

You are just arguing for the sake of arguining, no other reason than your disdain for the DA.
Report Abuse
avatar image
Jul 6, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

MommaC - Thats true, plenty of middle/upper class coloured people in WCape. But right, they are not considered 'black' or 'previously disadvantaged'.
Report Abuse

Read all 406 comments

Your Subscription

The SowetanLIVE Network