Ngabe obani abaqotho futhi obani abangekho qotho ezweni lethu esilibiza nge-post-apartheid South Africa? Kwenzakalani ngendaba esematheni ‘yokubuyiswa komhlaba’? Empeleni iyini lento ebizwa ngokuthi i-‘white privilege’?  I- class privilege yona iyini? Sikulungisa kanjani ukungalingani okukhulu okukhona ezweni lethu?

Indaba esihloko esithi ‘Amadodana Omhlabathi’, uSifiso Mzobe uyakhe ngendlela eyenza sicabange ngazo zonke lezi zinkinga, ubukhuni bazo, kanye nokuqaphelisisa ukuthi singabophi abantu ngebhande elilodwa – lokhu okuthiwa ama-stereotypes.

Ekuqaleni kwendaba sihlangana nabalingisi uMatt noNaomi: baphila kahle (privileged), bashadile, siyacabanga ukuthi bangabantu abamhlophe – futhi kunjalo ngempela. UMatt uyindoda eseyintsha, usebenza umsebenzi ophezulu emkhakheni wezezimali; umsebenzi omunika isikhathi sokukwazi ukuphelezela unkosikazi wakhe okhulelwe njalo uma eyoxilongwa udokotela. Siyacabanga ukuthi uMatt (noNaomi) banayo imoto, eyenza kube lula uma befuna ukuhamba. Namgempela kunjalo, banayo imoto.

Buka lesi simo usiqhathanise nesensizwa eseyintsha enguSiyanda, esihlangana naye emuva kokuhlangana noMatt. USiyanda ucishe alingane noMatt, uhlakaniphile njengaye uMatt futhi uzikhandla njengaye uMatt, kodwa nasi isimo aqhamuka kusona:

“Akuyilutho lokhu, Mandisa. Lapho ngiqhamuka khona ngangisebenza epulazini kusukela ngineminyaka eyisikhombisa. Njalo uma ngibuya esikoleni ngangingena ensimini yomoba. Ngasebenza iminyaka eyisishiyagalombili emuva kokuqeda u-matric ukuze ngihlanganise imali yokubhalisela unyaka wokuqala la enyuvesi…”

Manje sekufanele afunde kodwa esebenza, futhi ikhona lokho okwenza angawatholi amamaki amahle – okwenza angawutholi umfundaze. Futhi, ukweleta umnikazi wepulazi imali. Akukho okukhombisa ukuthi uzokwazi ukushada isithandwa sakhe, uMandisa, bakwazi ukuqala umndeni maduze. Indaba ithi, “Kuthiwa life isn’t fair, uSiyanda uyakwazi lokhu.”

Siyathola ukuthi uMatt noNaomi bahlangana kanjani: uNaomi wayefuna ukululekwa ngezimali ngoba ugogo wakhe wayemshiyele ifa eliyisamba semali. Ngokuhamba kwendaba siyathola ukuthi uMatt ushiyelwe nguyise ipulazi.

Ukuzalwa emindenini ebizwa ngokuthi i-middle class, enomhlaba nezakhiwo kusho ukuthi u-privileged. I-privilege ezweni lethu ichaza ukuthi awunayo inkinga yophahla ngaphezulu kwekhanda lakho, awukusweli ukudla nokunakekelwa kwezempilo; awunayo inkinga yokuthola imfundo ephansi nephakeme; futhi unenzuzo enkulu yokuthola ifa – umuzi noma imali. Konke lokhu kukunika lokhu okubizwa nge-‘social capital’, kanye nokuzethemba emphakathini. Yikho lokhu okudala i- ‘structural inequality’ emphakathini esiphila kuwo.

Ingane yomuntu osebenza epulazini, efemini noma oyi-domestic worker angeke azithole zonke lezi zinto ezitholwa abantu abayi-middle class. Ukuze ingane ikuthole lokhu okutholwa i-middle class kufanele ihlakaniphe, futhi isebenze kakhulu, futhi ithole inhlanhla, ukuze ifunde ithole umsebenzi oholela kahle.

Kudala kwakungabantu abamhlophe kuphela ababe-privileged; futhi iningi labo li-privileged namanje. ‘Lokhu okubizwa nge-‘White privilege’ kuhlukile kune-‘privilege’ nje kuphela ngoba bonke abantu abamhlophe babenayo i-‘privilege’ ngesikhathi sobandlululo (apartheid), ngoba bengabantu abamhlophe. Ibala labo kuphela alabanika inzuzo abangayisebenzelanga emphakathini.

Kodwa indaba iyasikhombhisa ukuthi umngani kaMatt, uMenzi, ongumuntu omnyama ongudokotela akasazinakile zonke lezi zinto – noma asibeke ngokuthi indodana yakhe engazinakile lezi zinto. UMenzi ufuna ukuya emngcwabeni (ehamba ngonyanyavu lwemoto ewuhlobo lwe-Porsche Cayenne!) epulazini lomoba, ukuze indodana yakhe, uHalalisa, izofunda ngezwe lethu lapho kusaqhubeka khona ukungalingani kwabantu emphakathini – ukungalingani okuhamba phambili emhlabeni jikelele. Nangempela uHalalisa uyakubona lokhu:

UHalalisa ubuka ngaphandle ewindini, ajule ngimicabango ebona okwenzekayo ngaphandle: abantu besifazane bethwele izinkuni nezigubhu zamanzi, umhlaba omkhulu ongenalutho, nemizi egqagqene.

“Baya kuphi, laba bantu? Bakuthenga kuphi ukudla?” kubuza uHalalisa.

“Iyona impilo abayiphilayo abanye abantu. Asiphili izimpilo ezifanayo,” kusho uMenzi.

Manje asixilonge ukuthi yini lendaba esikhombisayo mayelana nokubopha abantu ngebhande elilodwa(stereotypes) kanye nokucabangela ukuthi abanye abantu banjani(assumptions), nokuthi lokho kuludala kanjani uqhekeko kubantu nasemphakathini.

Ngokubuka kukaMatt, uyise ubeyindoda eyindlavini, ebhaxabula unina futhi engayithandi ingane yayo (yena uMatt). UMatt wafunga wagomela ukuthi yena akasoze afana noyise.

Indaba iyasivezela nokuthi uyise, “… emuva kokuba yisosha leSADF waphathwa isifo esibizwa nge-post-traumatic stress disorder. Kwalokho nje, ukuthi uyise wayeyisosha ngezikhathi ze-apartheid, ukuthi wayeyisikhali sokucindezela abantu abamnyama, kubanga intukuthelo kanye namahloni kuMatt.”

UMatt unamahloni ngoyise, futhi kuyabonakala ukuthi kwenziwa yini lokho. Kodwa, njengempilo, ukwehlulela umuntu akulula ngaleyo ndlela. Uyazi ukuthi ngezikhathi zobandlululo(apartheid), wonke umuntu omhlophe wesilisa  kwakuphoqelekile ukuba angene embuthweni wamasosha? Kwakufanele ukuba balwe namanye amazwe akhelene neNingizimu Africa, amazwe ayesekela izinhlangano ezazilwela inkululeko, kanye nabantu abamnyama baseNingizimu Africa. Ngaleso sikhathi amanga kahulumeni (government propaganda) ayenamandla kakhulu, abantu abamhlophe becabanga ukuthi kufanele bangene embuthweni wamasosha.

Futhi, i- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) isanda kuvunywa umhlaba wonke ukuthi idalwa izinto ezisabekayo ezibonwa amasosha empini. Njengoba indaba iqhubeka siqala ukubona ukuthi uMr Stevens ungumuntu owahlukumezeka ngesikhathi eyisosha, unesizungu, kodwa ungumuntu obukhombisayo ubuntu noma ngabe yini ayenza kudala ebusheni bakhe.

Into ebululekile ekufanele siyicabange ukuthi ubudlova bobandlululo (apartheid) – ukucwasa ngebala (racism) nokubukelwa phansi, ukuphucwa umhlaba, ukukhishwa ngenkani emizini, ubuphofu, ubudlova bamaphoyisa – kwabaphatha kanjani abantu abamnyama baseNingizimu Africa. Kwabaphatha kanjani konke lokhu emqondweni? Bangaki abantu abamnyama nabo abanayo i-PTSD? Labo abanayo i-PSTD abayidluliseli yini esizukulwaneni esilandelayo, naleso sizukulwane siyidlulisele kwesilandelayo?

Siyathola nokuthi uyise kaMatt ungumlimi, umnikazi wepulazi – uSiyanda ukweleta yena imali. Buka okushiwo uMandisa, nempendulo evela kuSiyanda:

“Wow, uyazi uma ngizwa kukhulunywa ngomnikazi wepulazi bengicabanga umlungu ohlukumeza abantu abamnyama abamsebenzelayo.”

“Akulula kanjalo, babe. Umuntu eyedwa unezinhlangothi eziningi. Yena ubenazo izikhathi lapho ekhombisa khona ubuntu.

Izikhathi ezifudumeza inhliziyo emngcwabeni epulazini ziyasikhombisa ukuthi ngempela ubenabo ubuntu uMr Stevens. Bonke abantu abakhona bazokwenza into eyodwa – umndeni wakwaStevens, abasebenzi basepulazini kanye nabanye abantu bazongcwaba uStevens. Bonke abantu benza kube isigameko sokuthoba izinhliziyo, babuyisane.

Asiqhubekele odabeni lomhlaba, sibone ukuthi luyinto enzima kangakanani. UMatt ushaqekile uma ezwa ukuthi ushiyelwe ifa lepulazi lomoba: “Ipulazi? Ubaba ongakaze abe yingxenye yempilo yami ungishiyele ipulazi? … Ngizolenzani ipulazi elikude le eDurban?”

UMatt ufuna ukulidayisa ifa lakhe lepulazi ashiyelwe lona, kodwa uMenzi uyambhekisa ukuthi ngeke kube lula kanjalo, ngeke akhombise ubulungiswa uma edayisa ipulazi kalula nje.

“Ngikufisela ukube kulula ngaleyo ndlela, Matt.”

“Usho ukuthini?”

“Ubaba wakho unabasebenzi abaningi, abantu abanemindeni ephila ngemali eholwa abasebenzi basepulazini. Amapulazi omoba makhulu, baningi abantu abasebenza epulazini lomoba elilodwa.”

Udaba lomhlaba luyinto ebucayi kakhulu ezweni lethu, lusematheni namanje emuva kweminyaka eminingi lwaphela ubandlululo (apartheid). Muncane kakhulu umhlaba obuyiselwe kubantu owathathwa kubona. Abalimi abamhlophe namanje kusayibona abanomhlaba omningi wokulima. Kodwa indaba iphinde ikhombise mayelana nokulima ngesikali esikhulu, nemigomo abaphila ngayo abasebenzi bamapulazi. Ungakhohlwa: abasebenzi abancikile emapulazini ukuze bathole umholo kuphela kodwa izikhathi eziningi bahlala khona emapulazini abasebenza kuwo, uthola ukuthi izindawo zabasebenzi abahlala kuzo izona ezingamakhaya. Abasebenzi abaningi bahlala kulezi zindawo izimpilo zabo zonke. (Amapulazi amancane, aseduzane namadolobha akunjalo.) *

Ipulazi elikhulu liyibhizinisi elikhulu, line-akhawunti yasebhange enemali eningi, kulula ukuba likwelete izizumbulu ebhange, kudingeka ochwepheshe bemikhakha eminingi ukuze lisebenze kahle. Njengoba uStevens esegugile ipulazi belingayenzi inzuzo.

Nakho-ke lapho isihloko sendaba singena khaxa. UMatt akazimisele ngokunaka ipulazi kodwa sikhona isisombululo: uSiyanda uqeqeshiwe ngezokuphatha izimali futhi ukwazi njengoba ezazi ukulima umoba ngoba wakhulela khona epulazini. UMatt unikeza uSiyanda ithuba lokuguqula isimo sepulazi, futhi ahole kahle ngoba uzoba ngumphathi wepulazi. Uzoqhubeka nezifundo zakhe ngeposi eUNISA.

Nakhu okunye ekufanele ssikucabange. Uthini umbono wakho uma ubaba kaSiyanda ekhuluma kanjena: “Ngiyazi ukuthi isimo sinzima, ndodana. Kodwa ungakwazi ukuthatha impelasonto eyodwa uzongcwaba uStevens. Lendoda isenzele lukhulu empilweni, Siya.”

Abanye abantu bangabuza ukuthi yini ngempela ebalulekile eyenziwe uStevens ezimpilweni zabasebenzi bakhe?  Abanye bangasho ukuthi akwanele lokhu abekwenza. Yebo, ubebaboleka imali abasebenzi, ebaphatha ngendlela enobuntu. Kodwa abanye bangasho ukuthi abantu abafana noStevens – empeleni bonke abantu abamhlophe abazuza ngesikhathi sobandlululo (apartheid) – kufanele ngabe bakhokha isinxephezelo (reparations) ndlela thizeni noma into ekhombisa ukuzisola. Lokhu kusho ukuthi kukhokhwe noma kulungiswe okubi okwenzeka, futhi akuyona into engajwayelekile. Isibonelo esiseduzane, izwe laseGermany lakhokhela amanye amazwe aseEurope ngoba ilona elasusa impi i-World War 2.

Bonke abantu abamhlophe bazuza imali ngobandlululo (apartheid), futhi basaqhubeka nokuzuza ngenxa yokungalingani namanje. Kodwa abakaze bayikhokhe leyomali. Ngo 1994 kwakungenzeka baphoqwe ukuba bakhokhe, isibonele nje, bakhokhiswe kanye intela enzima, ezosetshenziswa ukuze kuthuthukiswe imfundo yezingane zabantu abamnyama.

Kodwa, abanye abantu abamhlophe bayakhokha ama -‘personal reparations’ – bakhokhe imali yesikole yezingane ezimnyama ezihluphekile, noma banikele ngemali kuma- charities. Yini eyenza uMr Stevens wahluleka ukukhokhela ingane ehlakaniphile njengoSiyanda esikoleni nasenyuvesi? Cabanga umehluko obekungawenza lokho empilweni kaSiyanda nomndeni wakhe?*

Ekugcineni, lendaba ecabangisayo iphinda ithinte okwenzeka kudala, izinto ezazingenabo ubulungiswa, kanye nokubuyisana.

Buka umunyu kuMatt:

UMatt uqhweba uMenzi njengoba eshaya izandla. “asho ukuthini amagama eculo, Menzi?”

“God be with you. God be with you. God be with you. God be with you. Until we meet again,” kuhumusha  uMenzi.

UMatt uvukwa umunyu. Ushaya izandla kakhulu, izinyembezi ziziqathakela ngokukhululeka ebusweni, njengoba abasebenzi beliphindaphinda leliculo.

Ekugcineni kwendaba siyathokoza futhi sikhululeke ngoba uMatt lukhona ulwazi alutholile ngoyise, futhi wenze into enobulungiswa. Kunokuba athole inzuzo ngokudayisa ipulazi –inzuzo angayisebenzelanga, ekungafanele ngabe unayo kwasekuqaleni – ubeka abantu abangasebenzi phambili. Futhi kulungile ukuthi uSiyanda usebuyele lapho ayesebenza khona esamncane kodwa usezokwazi ukuzakhela ikusasa eliqhakazile.

* https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/farmworkers-facing-evictions-across-cape-21765714

*If you are interested in the idea of reparations and restitution in our country, here is a great book to read: “In Another Country: Everyday Social Restitution, author Sharlene Swartz introduces the concept of `social restitution’ – understood as the actions and attitudes that everyday people can undertake in dialogue with each other to `make things good’ since `making things right’ is impossible.”