Discrimination in South Africa: the conclusion of categorization

I know this post a bit off topic, but I just couldn't help myself. I was given this assignment and I feel so fiery about it, I just had to post it. Consider it an elaboration on the misuse of the power of language as a communication, hence categorization, tool.

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Discrimination in South Africa: the conclusion of categorization

Growing up Free

Ever since I could put two and two together I was encouraged to join in at our kitchen-table-debates on moral and political matters. My little sister soon supplemented our discussions with her proud opinion.  During these arguments my liberal Bloemfontein born parents tolerated many things except discriminative points of view. Eventually my sister and I adopted the same attitude.

We regularly picked fights with people, in our company, who displayed a liking to unfair discrimination based on religion, gender or race. Being South Africans discriminative views on gender and race surfaced often.

We enjoyed disrupting any self-righteous harmony in these conversations, in the name of justice. Since then nothing has changed much except my sobering accumulation of practical experience with discrimination.

My Given and Restrictive Category

In contrary to my childhood belief, shallow discrimination has not yet been abolished in my country. My family’s white (or rather khaki) skin tone and native tongue, Afrikaans, categorize us as White.

“White” is a racial category, stereotyped as a racist community with a narrow-minded views and a fixed culture. Ironically the terms “white”, “coloured” and “black” refer to a skin colour, which is no accurate indication of attitude or culture and certainly no legitimate foundation to stereotype individuals by. Nevertheless I have been the victim of discrimination based on silly categorization and its presupposed identifiers. Here follows accounts my experiences:

Walking home from campus, a sturdy black-toned young man walking the same route as I am makes conversation. We talk about pleasantries, then sports, then his field of study. Then he unexpectedly frowns and says, "So you don't mind walking with a black guy?”. I answer no and then shrug to dismiss the insult.

On my out a fellow hostel resident meets me midway on a flight of stairs. She asks me how my summer break was. I answer. Then she queries me, "How is it living on the hall with all the....you know...", she pauses to purposefully rub the white pink skin

on her arm with her forefinger and raises her eye brows, "...girls? Is it dirty?". I reply abruptly, "Much cleaner than the halls where all the white girls live. I wouldn't want to live on any other hall."

I walk into a small "cellular" shop and stare at the various Blackberry protective covers hooked on the wall, for a cheap and good-looking one.  The Indian-looking shop owner starts to share his life story. He moved from India to South Africa a few years ago and "settled" for a Coloured wife. "But", he says, "I would love to have had a White wife". I try to vent my disgust in a meek manner, "Why would you want a white wife?! You should love your wife.".

South African Factory Faults

           

I do not appreciate it when White people make derogatory remarks about other races, because they assume I'll agree. I feel insulted when Black or Coloured people question my company just because of my race and I am demeaned by appreciation based on my skin colour. In the eyes of these people I am reduced to a prototype of a fixed category. If I differ from my category, I'm seen as a factory fault.

South Africa propagates the ideal of a country free from unfair and restrictive categorization, yet those who apply the ideal aren't permitted to do so. Unfortunately I am not only encaged by my society, but by my government as well.

I'm forced to stipulate my prearranged category on most administrative documents to enable my employers, educators and governmental authorities to treat me accordingly. I attain school, university and hostel placing; work and promotions based on the category I am shoved into. I'm merely a number in my category and I will be organized accordingly. My mortal presence is of secondary importance.

Setting South Africans Free

The restrictive effect of categorization is seen in the way historically disadvantaged categories lack basic living necessities, such as running water, electricity, housing, work opportunities and self-sustainable skills such as education. To sustainably alleviate these communities the cause should be addressed: categorization.

Abolish racial categorization to ensure that South Africans are provided with access to these basics necessities to sustain and further themselves. By using deprivation as a compass for where and how to apply national resources, previously disadvantages people will naturally be alleviated and empowered, without the cost and damage of further categorization. If categorization is not abolished both juristically and socially, discrimination based on categories won't be abolished either.