Not too long ago I read a Facebook status that spoke about something very interesting.

The status spoke about how black guys in their mid-twenties cannot be compared to other guys in the same age-group from other races. Basically, it said that these young, black guys all have to pay what’s called the black tax, as soon as they find a job. Now, this “black tax” as I understand it, means that young, black men have the responsibility of supporting their families as soon as they start working. This is said to include paying the school fees of younger siblings, maintaining the household by paying for expenses including groceries, electricity and water bills.

It’s easy to think, of course, that this week’s topic is about race or racism, but as the title says, “it’s about culture, not race”.

When I was still living with her, back in 2003, my mother always told me stories about how hard she worked in her younger days, both as a domestic worker and as a dressmaker to make sure that we were not only fed and clothed, but that we went to good schools as well. Her role, she said, went even further than that because she also had to make my grandparents proud by supporting them and others in the family and community as well.

She recalled how she would arrive from Johannesburg and Cape Town in style in the Eastern Cape with bags full of freshly-sewn clothes, plenty of leftover padkos (or umphako, as we Xhosas call it) and parcels full of groceries as well. She was the pride of the community. That, she said, is the price she paid for being the eldest and most hardworking daughter in the family.

Her story sounds familiar, right?

Well, I’d be surprised if it didn’t. It’s very much the same as the “black tax” that the Facebook status spoke about. To her, though, it was about making a difference, because of lessons that her culture and family had taught her. It was about taking whatever skill she had and using it to benefit her family and community. Her father had, for a long time, taught her about the importance of being kind and helpful to others starting with one’s family.

I think it’s fair to say that there are a few lessons that can be learnt from my mother’s stories. One of those lessons is that it is not only black young men who carry the responsibility of supporting their families or even communities, young women also do it. The second lesson is that it all depends on the culture that exists in your family and community, whether or not you pay this “black tax”. If, in your family (as in mine), you are taught from an early age to share what you have and to work hard so you can be helpful to others, then that means you have a responsibility to use your money to support others.

Of course, some people would say that it’s not just a cultural thing, but a racial one as well, because research has shown that a lot of white people in this country have never really had the same responsibilities. The reason for that is that their family members or neighbours often don’t need that financial support, because they have access to opportunities that they can use to succeed.

Obviously, it must be said that not all white people are wealthy, but it is fair to say that they’re not in the same situation as black people. They never had to deal with Apartheid laws that limited their educational qualifications and, because of that, they are often financially secured and don’t have to worry about lifting themselves up from poverty.

I guess what we can say, ultimately, is that the responsibilities that come from the “black tax” are both cultural and racial.

That’s how I understand it.

But now that we’ve heard what my mother and I had to say about the “black tax”, it’s time to hear what you have to say.

#ChatBack: Do you think that it’s fair for a family or a community to expect its working young people to use their money to help?

And if you think that it’s not fair, what are some of your reasons for thinking that, and what would you rather spend your money on, then?

Let’s continue this conversation on Facebook too. What’s poppin’ eKasi!