Racial lunacy in the police
JOHANNESBURG - In November 2006 the South African Police Service adopted an "Employment Equity Plan" for the period from 2007 to 2010 (see report). The document made clear that the overriding goal of the police's top brass was ensuring that the institution reflected, at all levels, the racial proportions of the national population.
It boasted that "stringent measures" had already been put in place to ensure compliance, by senior management, with these "numeric targets" in recruitment, promotions and appointments. And, it mooted the possibility of re-introducing "severance packages" to accelerate the clearing out of racial minorities from the organisation.
The document embodied the racial lunacy of the Mbeki-era. Crime was rampant. South Africans were living in a state of fear. The police force was crippled by a shortage of expertise. And in the midst of all this, the SAPS leadership remained obsessed only with the pursuit of an odious racial ideal.
Recently, the Solidarity trade union launched a new series of legal challenges against a number of incidents of racial discrimination that resulted from this policy. In almost all of the cases, the union states, the police leadership preferred to keep positions vacant rather than appoint qualified white applicants to fill them.
These cases are designed to test the legality of certain extreme forms of race-based ‘affirmative action.' They may also succeed in highlighting the ongoing personal and institutional costs of racial discrimination and exclusion.
The first of them was heard in the Johannesburg Labour Court last week. Captain Renate Barnard was recommended twice for promotion in 2005 and 2006 but her promotion was blocked by the then national commissioner of police, Jackie Selebi.
Testifying on behalf of the SAPS Senior Superintendent Johannes Phetolo Ramothoka said that Selebi "wanted to ensure that all units" adhered to the "equity plans" of the organisation. "White females were already over-represented by five at salary level nine" he stated, "so her appointment would have meant an over representivity of white females on that level."
In turn, Barnard broke down in tears as she testified about how she found all avenues of promotion closed to her. She told the court that all she ever wanted to do was serve in the police, and was totally committed to her work. "I want to ask management, what must I do more to get a promotion? I sacrificed my family to do my job properly. I am a top performer."
It seems that the racial policies of the SAPS may well have served as a cover for other agendas. It was suggested in court that the (former MK?) soldiers redeployed from the SANDF to the SAPS in 2004 and 2005 - after a twelve week conversion course - have subsequently received preference in promotions. Barnard testified that members of the police who had joined from the defence force were all now superintendents or senior superintendents. She and many other career police officers meanwhile - both white and black - remained stuck at the rank of captain.
Selebi's refusal to promote experienced and committed police officers also stands in marked contrast to his enjoyment, or so it is alleged in his corruption trial, of the company of rich white crooks.
This then is an important story, and a very revealing one. One cannot understand the institutional rot that set in during the Mbeki period without reference to the racial obsessions, and all the attendant pathologies, of that era. The success or failure of the new Zuma administration will depend, to a significant degree, on whether it can move away from them.
The story has also been extensively reported on in the English-language South African press, and no journalist could be unaware of it. Why then, has it received so little coverage in the foreign media?
There appears to be a deep reluctance by foreign correspondents to report on cases of discrimination against racial minorities in Southern Africa. One possible reason for this is that a disturbing number of Western intellectuals regard such measures as fully justified even when it crosses over, as it did in Zimbabwe, into outright persecution.
In its report on Solidarity's press conference Reuters, for one, took it upon itself to try and rationalise away the racial policies of the SAPS. The Reuters handbook states that "As Reuters journalists, we never identify with any side in an issue, a conflict or a dispute" and that "Reuters journalists do not express their opinions in news stories." Thus, its reports will often qualify a statement of the blindingly obvious as being the expression of the view of one side or the other. Reuters' reports on Zimbabwe, for example, commonly state that "critics" blame the economic collapse in that country on Zanu-PF policies such as the "seizures of white-owned farms."
In its report on the initial Solidarity announcement, however, this principle was thrown out the window. Reuters simply regurgitated, as unquestionable fact, two stock claims of African nationalist propaganda. The article stated that the police's "affirmative action quotas" were "established to address the wrongs of apartheid"; and that the "legacy" of white minority rule "can still be seen, with whites continuing to occupy a disproportionately large number of senior positions in government and the private sector."
But while many Western journalists and commissioning editors may instinctively support ‘affirmative action quotas' in South Africa this does not fully explain the deep aversion to publishing stories on the consequences. American and British readers may be delighted (or appalled) at the way Renate Barnard was treated, but why keep them in the dark about this matter?
The problem is perhaps that most left-leaning Western intellectuals regard opposition to racism as central to their sense of self. This principle has often co-existed with a complete identification with the cause of black African liberation.
It is in the maltreatment of Africa's racial minorities by newly ascendant black nationalist regimes that these two core beliefs collide. The honest response would be to acknowledge this clash, and weigh the one belief against the other.
Instead, the usual pattern is for such intellectuals to wage an ideological war of position against this discomforting reality. The existence of discrimination is ignored or denied. When it can not be denied it is euphemised. When it can no longer be euphemised it is rationalised. And when it can no longer be rationalised that minority's moral claim to equal treatment is aggressively derided.
It is a great pity that the West has chosen to turn a blind eye in the way that it has. Some of the worst elements in our society take great comfort from that fact.
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Comments
James, the Western Press was recruited by the SAcan White Left into the Struggle. (As an aside, a family member tells me of the time in the SADF when he witnessed Western Reporters paying people to stage a riot for them to film, and presumably, to . .more
by JVR on November 24 2009, 03:23
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This is simply one of the factors which will ensure that South Africa under black rule will set a new low point for failed african states. Only when we reach rock bottom will South Africa pick itself up and start the long road to recovery. This recovery . .more
by realist on November 24 2009, 06:00
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Whites should know the "African M.O."
West welcomes skilled Safs, who become renowned sportsmen, scientists, businessmen, 'beauties
winners from our small gene pool !
Safs CONTRIBUTE unlike parasites ex Africa.
by old, female on November 24 2009, 06:00
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We as the Afrikaners have been let down on several occasions by the West, for example when we fought the CIA's war in Angola. We should never again trust the loony pinko liberals of the West. God helps those who help themselves. Our struggle against . .more
by Afrikaner on November 24 2009, 06:41
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James, you make an important point that is mostly forgotten or deliberately ignored. There definitely is a hidden agenda to Af Action as there are many competent Black people who are totally ignored in the workplace. Many of these are actually honest, . .more
by js on November 24 2009, 06:51
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The Progs were right! The qualified franchise vote was the only way to go. Look at the mess we are in now.
by Piet on November 24 2009, 07:10
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It was worrying watching Carte Blanche this weekend and seeing 2 police related stories - the first involving a cop who raped a woman while arresting her for a driving offence and the force's reluctance to investigate - the second being the reluctance of . .more
by Sad Days on November 24 2009, 07:43
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Loyalty to your own people in promotions? OK so you agree with the principle of affirmative action then- promote based on loyalties and race rather than merit?
by Jamo on November 24 2009, 07:55
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Anyone put a thought to the fact that dysfunctional countries are pliant for Western business interests. That in fact western business benefits from a dictatorship?
Reporting in the States, as an example, is just as one sided and if it weren't . .more
by Peter on November 24 2009, 08:14
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why are there any whites left in the police?
by charlie on November 24 2009, 08:19
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Every dog has its day, and every journalist has his dogs.
by Domza on November 24 2009, 08:23
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Sorry did not know your comments did not accept html
Here is the link, easier to access than above:
http://why-we-are-white-refugees.blogspot.com/2009/09/scorpions-saps-hostility-report-saps-on.html
by Boycott 2010 World Cup on November 24 2009, 08:29
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Why specifically the West, or is this just another lame call for racial solidarity? Rather go to them than ask them to come here...
by Afrique on November 24 2009, 08:35
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Please understand that as long as the majority of white people can rant on the website, radio stations, boardrooms, workplaces etc whilst the majority of black people stay in shacks and rural areas with no electricy "racial lunacy" will never go . .more
by Mave on November 24 2009, 08:40
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So my comments were racist and this from realist is progressive
"By the way.....this turning point will come about when black voters finally realise just how profoundly useless their leaders really are ."
Eish SA
by Mave on November 24 2009, 08:59
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incompetence and corruption of their black leaders is mind boggling.
by TR on November 24 2009, 09:18
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All your comments are racist and i find you racist. We never had a competent police force under apartheid. We actually had the most evil police force in the world and i think all those white leaders were supposed to be on trial for genocide or atrocities . .more
by Reggy on November 24 2009, 09:21
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a racist perversion masquerading as conformation to section 195(1)(i) of the Constitution which says that public administration must be broadly representative of the South African people, whilst in this process sections 195(1)(a), (b), (d) and (h) are . .more
by flebus on November 24 2009, 09:27
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The author of this article cannot dictate to western media what to write about, just as he would not want me to tell him which stories to write about. Unlike sa media, western media has matured from such black/white stories. the author should take a leaf . .more
by sillyseason on November 24 2009, 09:30
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After WWI several European countries introduced a law "Numerus clausus" which tried to limit jewish numbers at universities and other places to their ratio in the population because there were several times more jews at the universities than their . .more
by the_hun on November 24 2009, 09:39
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Reuters now pretend that they take no sides when it comes to news. What a bunch of left wing pussies. When the conservative BNP tried to get a word in on a recent television "debate" Reuters were there along with all their other left wing brown nosers . .more
by Toothfairy on November 24 2009, 10:01
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Affirmative action = economic ethnic cleansing
by proudlu mlungu on November 24 2009, 10:03
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Another kind of affirmative action, also aimed at addressing past wrongs, albeit more recent ones and external to the police, was coincidently reported today, in response to the affirmative action within the police.
"Over the weekend there were . .more
by Khayelitsha on November 24 2009, 10:16
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A cursory analysis of the events and reporting around the so-called Reitz 4 incident will confirm the bias and deceiving agenda of the liberal press. Has anyone in fact seen the 10-minute video for balance and context or even the 30 seconds in question? . .more
by KKK on November 24 2009, 10:23
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What a disgusting state of affairs. Wrongs cannot be corrected with wrongs.
I get so ashamed of my brothers.
What is wrong with these racists. Can't they understand that you cannot promote a dumb-cluck to a intellectually senior . .more
by Peter Tombola on November 24 2009, 11:03
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Where are all these whites occupying senior positions in the government sector please? if this is indicative of Reuter's factual reporting, they'd better concentrate on selling financial data.
by Incredulous on November 24 2009, 11:11
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White people in this country seem to think the country belongs to them, that warped state of mind can be understood in the context that black people are here to serve them and work in creating wealth for them and only them (apartheid . .more
by Darkson of the soil on November 24 2009, 11:17
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Third para should read: 195(1)(i) and NOT 195(1)(a)
by flebus on November 24 2009, 11:27
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You write :
"Ours is not an equal society but a society where it is acceptable for white priviledge to be protected at the expense of the under previldge black."
You are right, ours is an unequal society; but please tell me : Where is . .more
by mpho on November 24 2009, 11:47
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You Natzi black crackers are as bad as Diligaf etc....You are equally as stupid..Force me to leave...This place will swim in blood, 'MARK MY WORDS'...Shut up or put up idiot!
by Noddy on November 24 2009, 12:09
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yo tosser, will you and you troop also just pee off to the darkest reaches of congo.
because thats where you come from.
only a real real twit would want to turn SA into zim2. so get real. we have huge issues all over the . .more
by Eddie on November 24 2009, 12:28
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Yuor kind prayed and hoped our freedom would fail first day. 15 years later its still going strong. All the african failure had an evil hand from the West, like the Equitorial Guine story with your Mark Thetcher. I hope you die early before another . .more
by All that prophecy of doom wont materialise. on November 24 2009, 14:05
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If you really believe that you can force born-and-bred South Africans and their families, of whatever race and colour, to leave this country then you are even more stupid than you sound.
Be prepared to bleed and die.
by Third Generation South African on November 24 2009, 14:21
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Bro/Sis do yourself a favour and drive around this country and check the living conditions of people.
Do a simple comparisons between black and white people living conditions, as matter of fact compare black constables to their white . .more
by Mave on November 24 2009, 14:40
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To you and every African who think we are going to run away, think again china. When whites arrived in Cape Town this country, SA, belonged to the KOI and the SAN people, not to blacks. We have more claim to SA than you, go read the REAL history books, . .more
by Pieter on November 24 2009, 14:43
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This article stinks and, whoever James Myburgh is, he has proven what a true racist he is, like so many others from his kraal ...
tsk, tsk ...
by Moxster on November 24 2009, 15:09
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Pieter, and in in your opinion, the KOI and tha SAN were not black, why ?
Or should I say, they were not African, why ?
by Moxster on November 24 2009, 15:55
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Yebo sisi, we have great inequalities in our country which must be sorted out.Have you seen the houses the ANC MPs have? And Ramaphosa, Motsepe, Nissen, Mbeki, Maroga, Gcabashe, Mpofu, Gama and a very long long list of rich blacks, all much much richer . .more
by mpho on November 24 2009, 16:16
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That is quite a mouthfull, for a 12yr old ...
by Moxster on November 24 2009, 16:38
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Transformation, yes, but at the right pace, otherwise you slow down delivery to the vast majority of people. Delivery is much more important than transformation. The ANC inherited the scarcest resource in Africa - management experience and technical . .more
by Jan on November 24 2009, 17:29
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an expression that applies to you
by Dave on November 24 2009, 17:33
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skies
by Dave on November 24 2009, 17:47
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It's simple - keep strong, get stronger - get richer - skills are scarce and will become scarcer - whites always survive in Africa at the top of the heap - even in the wosrt places - the disprarity is just worse (for blacks unfortunately).Bring it on . .more
by Tommy on November 24 2009, 17:53
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@Mave,
So you deny that the present government is incompetent and corrupt in a great many instances, and that one of the main reasons they can't deliver is because of cadre deployment of incompetents.
You are one patronising idiot, . .more
by Jeff on November 24 2009, 18:40
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" Pres Thabo Mbeki was correct to be obsessed about race because in this colour matters"
So let's leave police posts empty because there is no suitable black candidate. That's really going to help solve the crime problem. Read the damn article . .more
by Jeff on November 24 2009, 19:19
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It's simple, the loser who applied for asylum in Canada used the wrong argument by focusing on crime. He should present the anti-white ranting of Malema, the BMF, Maroga's "vision", the police affirmative action case, and other miscellaneous bits and he . .more
by Gs on November 24 2009, 19:26
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Let's not forget the Nats used affirmative action to their great advantage, now it's someone else's turn, big deal. Everyone does it, I've worked in multiple companies where several members of the same family are employed, all of them white. What are . .more
by Possum on November 24 2009, 20:02
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It is not a black white thing. It is a black any other race thing. I was recently in Cape Town and talking to a coloured SAP inspector in a critical security role. He has been recommended for promotion twice by his superior and turned down twice - not . .more
by jonkalala on November 24 2009, 20:21
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The writer unfortunetely stil wears the racial blinkers that still blind most of our white compatriots. Race unfortunately has little to do with the ladies failure to move up the ranks (as the writer many times points in the article), political . .more
by Botsotso on November 24 2009, 20:23
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Aaah Possum Please get the facts straight.
The Nats used affirmative action for Afrikaners .... on the railways!
That is right, job reservations to dig Afrikaners out of poverty was on the railways, and these people referred to . .more
by JVR on November 24 2009, 20:51
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Gee, man, you so clevvah! Obviously older than 12. Betta you don't waste your wonderfool intellllect impressing us kids.
Go get moxtered man, or in baby talk, sod off!
by mpho on November 24 2009, 21:24
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Pit your enemies against each other and your batles are easy.
If you were the Americans or the Cinese and wanted the mineral wealth from Africa who would you want in Government in Africa.
White people who understand the economy and may question . .more
by Fred on November 25 2009, 08:48
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there will always and always be affirmitave action in SA...BECAUSE the average white worker will ALWAYS be better than the above average black worker. You can decide why that is but the word culture sums it up.
@Possum,I would leave the Spoorweg out . .more
by william on November 25 2009, 09:43
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Do you think that you could learn how to spell properly? We know what your ancestors (please note the spelling) did not have an alphabet, but we expect that you, who can now use a computer (white magic!) should be able to spell seeing you went to school. . .more
by John Logan on December 11 2009, 14:52
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